


'Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.'

by charzpov



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angel Waverly Earp, Bisexual, Cult of Bulshar, Death, Drunk Nicole Haught, Established Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, F/F, Heartbreak, LGBT, Lesbian, Loss, Love, Nicole Haught Backstory, Nicole Haught Needs A Hug, Nicole Haught looses control, Protective Wynonna Earp, Sounds like a children's film, Waverly Earp has wings, Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught Friendship, fuck the trees, it really isnt, mental health, waverly in the garden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 59,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24326002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charzpov/pseuds/charzpov
Summary: A season four prediction fic for Wynonna Earp. Waverly is in the garden, Nicole develops a drinking problem, Wynonna feels guilty.Heartbreak and love this is a rollercoaster just like the show always is.*disclaimer* the one thing which had no idea about was the whole Valdez thing. The garden and the cult and the Nicole / Nedley relationship were all based off clues or things within the show. But (excluding the comics) there is no hints about Valdez, so that part is literally all guess work sorry on that front - I tried to include it though and not just ignore it.
Relationships: Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Waverly Earp & Wynonna Earp, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Waverly Earp/Wynonna Earp, Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 28
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 01

**Author's Note:**

> Those of you who follow me on instagram know that I have been working on this fic for a few weeks. I was hoping to have it finished before posting one chapter, but since the season four trailer seems to be coming soon I've decided to post chapter one now. 
> 
> I've got chapter 2 and 3 done already, and they're much longer and more detailed, this one is just kind of setting the scene of where everyone is at the start.
> 
> Please bare with me and come with an open mind. Feel free to leave your own theories below.
> 
> Once this is all done, I'll probably do a livestream on instagram explaining my theories in full outside of the fic so follow @waverly_angel_earp for that.
> 
> Updates every Friday, and possibly some in between.

_in the garden..._

_  
Tenderly shaking fingers curled around her palms, a soft thumb tracing circles on her knuckles in a way which felt so familiar, which felt like home. Deep brown sparkling eyes flicked across her face as though unwrapping her every thought, increasingly pleading with each blink._

_“Waverly?” A caring, familiar, rough sounding voice crackled through, breaking the sound of heavy breathing and rapid heartbeats. The brunette’s eyes blinked rapidly, breaking herself out of the daze and she opened her mouth to speak. Slowly, before any words escaped her lips she took in the moment, the soft red hair resting on her girlfriend’s perfect shoulders, the blue flannel beneath only causing the radiant colour to pop. Her hand drifted down to her girlfriend’s cheek, tracing over the little mole on her cheek, a smile exploding on her face._

_“Yes. Yes Nicole. I will! Of course I will!” Waverly grinned now, as her fiancé leapt up from her knee wrapping strong arms around her tiny waist, cocooning her and lifting her off the ground in a hurry. Instinctively Waverly’s legs wrapped around Nicole’s lower back, arms draped over the loose collar of the flannel and around her neck, pulling the redhead closer so their foreheads were touching._

_“I love you so much Waverly.” Nicole breathed heavily into her lips._

_“I love you too Nicole.” Waverly leant in, catching Nicole’s lips in a passionate kiss, her hands toying with the soft red curls at the nape of her girlfriend’s neck, Nicole’s right hand rising and falling gently on her back. The kiss felt like it lasted a lifetime, but was over too soon, as Nicole carefully placed her back on the ground, her entire face glowing in a smile. Before Waverly could instigate another kiss she felt a soothing hand slide down her wrist and catch her hand, lifting it slowly. Nicole pressed a kiss on her delicate knuckles and slid the ring over her finger, inhaling sharply at the sight of the ring she had put so much thought into finally resting on Waverly’s finger._

_“Is it -“ Waverly began to ask about the ring, but Nicole interrupted. Usually she would let Waverly guess, but the ring was so complex; it was simple, meaningful and she had to be the one to explain the thought which went into it._

_“Aquamarine.” Nicole smiled proudly. “For March, the month we met. And this…” She pointed to the white gold band which encased the tiny jewel. “Is made from one of Wynonna’s rings, and one of my own. I know how important she is to you, and I want you to know that she’ll always be there, just as much as I am. Maybe not for everything…” Nicole winked. “But this, and us, won’t break what you two have. There were definitely times when I wanted it too!” Nicole laughed at all of the times she had been convinced she would kill Wynonna. “But she’s your sister, and I love how much you two care about each other. I’m honoured that you let me in the way you let her in. Thank you Waverly, for sharing everything, for sharing yourself with me.” Nicole kissed the dainty ring which sparkled in the sunset._

_“It’s…” Waverly choked on tears, struggling for the right words. Nicole was always so eloquent, it was like every moment had been planned perfectly, but Waverly was more impulsive, a rambler, the right words came eventually, but after a long spiral of other thoughts. “I love it so much.” A couple of tears fell onto their hands which were entwined now in between them. Nicole couldn’t help blush, she’d put so much thought into the perfect ring and when she couldn’t find one which lived up to her imagination she’d had one made. It was minimalistic, but meaningful, everything they had discussed, and it had a part of the most important parts of Waverly’s life entwined into a gorgeous piece of jewellery._

_“I’m glad.” Nicole smiled softly again and pulled her smaller fiancé in for another kiss as the sun slipped behind the mountains and the lake lost it’s golden glow._

_“Now let’s get home baby.” Wrapping an arm around Waverly’s waist, Nicole guided the girl through the forest where they’d had their first date, back to her car, her other arm rubbing up and down her fiancés exposed arms in attempt to warm her up in the suddenly cold evening air..._

* * *

_Current day - Nicole's house..._

Hastily and sloppily, Nicole downed the last drop, tipping her head back harshly causing a slight dizziness. In an attempt to stop it, she slammed her hands over her eyes but only knocked herself back, slumping into the cracked wooden chair on her front porch. Stretching out, she rested her legs on the white rail and passed out quickly. When her legs started aching she awoke and stumbled into the kitchen to get pain meds, but spying a bottle of rum opted for that instead, preferring to top up rather than cure the aching. 

A buzzing from the cupboard caused her to pop her head up from the table quickly… her phone… she had shoved it in there last night before she passed out, because she couldn’t stand to even think about Wynonna at that moment. She would, at some point, face her, for Waverly, not for herself, but not right now, not yet. Right now, she was enjoying having control over something, even if that thing was the decision to avoid Wynonna’s calls, it was something. Everything inside felt warm, which was a nice reassuring feeling after the cold which had seeped through her skin into her blood when Wynonna had found her yesterday and explained - well, half explained - the situation...

_The entirety of Nicole’s body ached like it was on fire, her lower abdomen felt like someone was twisting a poker, slowly and savagely inside her. Her eyelids were heavy, but her eyes felt unnaturally dry as instinctively sheets of water began to cover them, clearing whatever was irritating them. She felt itchy, everywhere, but her arms wouldn’t seem to move from her sides to relieve the discomfort. So she just lay there on the cold concrete, wincing, groaning and aching, among the scratchy hay, unsure of how she got here, where she was or what had happened._

_It felt like hours had passed, hours of her trying to talk herself into getting up, hours of pushing herself onto her elbows and falling back to the ground harder each time. Something was wrong, something was off, but she didn’t understand it, it didn’t stop her though. There was often occurrences which Nicole didn’t understand, or wasn’t privy too in Purgatory but, as much as it frustrated her, it was more important to focus on getting out of the barn she appeared to be in. She was up on the palm of her hands now, further than she had made it before. She bit her cheeks hard, desperately praying she wouldn’t fall back this time, because despite how minimal the distance was, she knew in her shaky state it would knock the air out of her lungs._

_She didn’t fall back, she was pushed back, by the huge gust of wind and colossal bang as the barn doors flew open._

_“HAUGHT?!” A growling, deep and breathy voice disrupted the silence and there was only one person it could belong too, the darkness laced with an air of sarcastic musicality had always ground Nicole down, but now was the most pleasant thing she had ever heard._

_“I’m over here Earp.” She coughed back, wincing as the words brushed roughly against her throat._

_Almost instantly Wynonna’s dark piercing eyes and wicked grin appeared over her and she squinted as she opened her eyes for the first time in hours._

_“HAUGHT SHOT YOU’RE ALIVE!” Wynonna punched Nicole’s shoulder hard, clearly unaware of the pain the taller girl was in. Unable to stop it, a loud groan escaped Nicole’s lips and her eyes snapped shut fighting off tears of agony._

_“What is going on? What’s wrong? Are you hurt? What are you doing here?” Wynonna’s questions exploded rapid fire out of her mouth and Nicole answered the most she could muster without doubling over in pain._

_“I don’t know, but -“ She slipped her hands over her shirt, peeling it back slightly to reveal a huge gash oozing out with blood just above her left hip._

_“Shit, okay, woah, we can figure this out, but first.” Wynonna grabbed her phone from her pocket, one hand pressed firmly over the shirt on Nicole’s stomach and the other dialling an ambulance jerkily into the phone._

_“Hi, there’s been a stabbing… Earp Homestead… she’s breathing and conscious… but loosing blood fast, please hurry.” Wynonna preempted their questions with a professional urgency, and Nicole realised she’d probably made similar phone calls way more often than anyone at her age should have._

_“Waverly, is she -“ Nicole began but was thankful when Wynonna’s stopped her._

_“We can talk about her later.” Wynonna started to push a hand under Nicole’s waist pulling her up. “We’ve gotta get you outside, so they can put you in the ambulance.”_

_Wincing, Nicole put all of her pressure into Wynonna’s shoulder, allowing the Earp to wrap her arm around her uninjured hip and prop her up. The pressure she applied might have been a little more than was necessary due to her frustration and concern that the older Earp was clearly avoiding her question._

_“Wynonna, don’t -“ Nicole was again cut off by her friend._

_“Not now Haught, she’ll be okay, but she won’t be if you die on us.” Wynonna wrapped Nicole’s arms around her neck and the redhead couldn’t catch the yelp before it escaped her lips._

_“NEDLEY!” Wynonna yelled and Nicole furrowed a brow as she couldn’t see the Sheriff anywhere in sight. She wasn’t left wondering for long however as the older man quickly rounded the corner, tossing his shotgun over his shoulder and grabbing Nicole’s other arm quickly around his neck. The redhead rested almost lifeless between the pair, dangling like an ornament. She wanted to ask more about Waverly, to know what Wynonna had meant by ‘will be’. Was she not right now? Where was she? Wouldn’t she be here if she was fine? The question’s hurt more than the wound on her hip and Nicole couldn’t figure out what to ask in time, before her eyes began to shut and her knees buckled causing her to jerk forward and Wynonna’s grip to tighten on her arm._

_“Haught! Don’t sleep, keep your eyes open! Haught! She needs you! Listen to me!” Nicole could hear her, but it was all too much, why was she lying half dead in the Earp barn, how had Wynonna found her, where was Waverly? It was all too much…_

Nicole had forgiven Wynonna for a lot of things because, as much as she denied it, she cared about her. At first it was for Waverly, her leniency with the older Earp, but slowly, gradually it had been just as much for herself. Wynonna was someone she could rely on, someone who she trusted, who she turned to for advice or call for a drink when she needed to let go. They had this unspoken connection which had been planted with Waverly, but had blossomed into something more. Neither of them needed to say it, they knew they had each other’s backs. That was why this hurt so much. Nicole had lost the two people she needed, her support network, her safety net. 

She’d lost control. Not lost it, it had been taken from her, ripped away like everything else in her life and it stung like nothing before. The most important decision of her life, the most important case, she’d been excluded from. Maybe it hurt so much because it didn’t surprise her. Nicole was always on the outside of whatever Earp centred drama was unfolding, only this time it affected her as much as anyone else. And she was still on the outside. There was no way of knowing if things would have turned out different had she been there, more than likely not, but that wasn’t the point. Once again she had no control over what happened in Waverly’s life, to Waverly, and she had tried so hard to give up control and to trust that Waverly knew what was best, but it didn’t cool the hurt that bubbled inside, the nagging fear that Waverly, and even Wynonna, didn’t trust her enough to involve her in their plans. Nicole was so sick of trying to control things which were out of her hands: Tucker Gardner, the Earp curse, Doc killing Julien, Waverly disappearing. Everything she cared about was unpredictable or guarded, so there was no point in trying to control the uncontrollable, she had given up control entirely. 

There was no way of telling how long she had been hunched over the table brushing her fingers over the grains of wood of her cheap IKEA dining table, simply that the bottle of Rum which had been half full was now near empty and her head felt fuzzy and her body warm. She didn’t feel drunk though, just content... and still… her eyes were closed and her forehead pressed to the wood now, arms spread out in front of her, hands nursing a half-empty glass of rum. Her front door flung against the wall and she swung up, her head spinning and eyes attempting to focus on the scene. Just her luck that she’d forgotten to lock the door and now would likely end up in hospital: again. Standing up, she grabbed the nearest thing to her - the glass - and launched it towards the figure standing in her kitchen. Although she wasn’t drunk, her aim certainly wasn’t in top form, and the glass smashed against the kitchen wall which was over a metre to the left of the figure.

“Jesus Christ Nicole, what the hell is wrong with you?” Wynonna snapped, grabbing the bottle of Rum from the table as Nicole lunged for it, suddenly realising who had made such a brash entrance. 

“I’ve been calling for 3 hours and I haven’t even had a single text from you! You’ve only been out of hospital a day, you’ll kill yourself!” Wynonna towered over Nicole who had sunk back into her chair seething and sucking her cheeks to stop from lashing out. 

“Fuck off Wynonna, I can’t do this now.” Nicole mumbled, standing up and walking away carefully.

“Not until you answer me Haught.” Wynonna reached out grabbing Nicole’s wrist and stopping her. When the redhead turned round, the anger and hurt in her eyes shocked Wynonna to the core and she let go of her wrist stumbling back a little. Nicole didn’t say anything, she just stared looking lost and hurt, her hands balled into fists at her side.

“Nicole. I’m sorry okay, I fucked up I know I did, I hate myself as much as you hate me, trust me.” Nicole scoffed at the last part.

“Yeah you did Wynonna, you fucked up.” Nicole couldn’t find the words to have this conversation, she needed time to figure out what she wanted to say, and she needed a clear head, so she just walked away again. Something told Wynonna not to push, something powerful, because Wynonna was never one to take a hint, but she’d never seen her friend like this before. In fact it didn’t even look like her friend, it was like Nicole was there, but distant, she looked confused and lost and the look on her face had scared Wynonna into silence. Quickly she ran to the door shutting it behind her before any tears could betray her and drove recklessly back to the homestead, she couldn’t even bare to look Nicole in the eyes any longer that night.

* * *

_  
“Nicole?” Waverly leant her head against her finances shoulder, her wide hazel eyes tilted up, golden flakes glistening in the sunlight._

_“Yes baby?” Nicole pressed her lips against the top of Waverly’s head breathing in the soft scent of roses from her shampoo. Her left arm was draped Waverly’s shoulders, pulling her close as she tilted her head down to see what the small girl wanted._

_“Okay firstly, can we go and get Nacho’s? And secondly, have you thought about where we should get married? I realised we haven’t really spoken about it?” Waverly smiled up at Nicole who laughed softly at how adorable it was Waverly could jump from something so innocent to something emotional so quickly._

_“Firstly, of course we can cutie.” Nicole stood up from her plastic chair holding her hand out for Waverly who took it eagerly. “And secondly, I only proposed yesterday Waverly, we still have time.” She rubbed the back of Waverly’s head with another laugh. “But I haven’t thought about it much, I’ve been kind of preoccupied.” She kissed Waverly hungrily in the nacho’s queue. “And plus, I figured, you know Purgatory better than me, where would you want to have it?”_

_Waverly let out a breath as Nicole broke the kiss and threw the question back to her. Her skin tingled with excitement and electricity, as if she couldn’t really believe that she was discussing her wedding plans with the girl of her dreams. “I guess I’ve always thought it would happen at the homestead, but I know a lot of thing’s have happened there, so if you’d rather somewhere else that’s fine too.” Waverly meant every word she said. Of course it would be amazing to be married on the land which was so important to her and her legacy, however damaged and scarred, but she also knew wherever they got married would become the most important place to her, because it would be shared with the woman she loved._

_Nicole wasted no time in quashing her doubts though. “It’s okay, of course we can have it at the homestead. I expected you to want that anyway, I just wanted you to be the one to say it.” She smirked, kissing Waverly again._

_“You’re too good for this world.” Waverly beamed. This world? What other world? What a weird thing to say, she thought to herself, but quickly shook it away._

_“Hi, do you have vegan cheese?” Nicole rested her exposed forearms on the counter leaning over to look at the menu slightly._

_“Yes ma’am.” Came a quick reply from a muscular young man with stubbly blonde hair and an abnormally large grin._

_“Great, we’ll take a large nachos with vegan cheese and all the toppings.” She winked at Waverly, slipping her card across the payment machine. The man rifled around for a minute, making their nachos and Waverly scanned the scene, finally taking in their surroundings. She didn’t remember getting here, but it was beautiful. They stood to the left of a huge outdoor park, at a tin van serving freshly made street food, the sun was warmer than Waverly could ever remember in Purgatory and it was only intensified as it bounced off the metal onto their smiling faces. Behind them stood the pristine bleachers, way cleaner than any Waverly remembered from her high-school days, surrounding a neatly trimmed field with crisp white lines ready for the players to make their way to the batting stand. It must have been Nicole’s idea to come to the game, she couldn’t remember, but she certainly wasn’t complaining, because it was the perfect date, sharing junk food and cheering for a team she didn’t even know the name of. It was bliss, it was heavenly._


	2. Chapter 02

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole struggles with her loneliness and anger, attempting to push all thoughts of Waverly away until she no longer can. Meanwhile, Wynonna tries desperately to find a way to get Nicole's forgiveness as they work together to find the youngest Earp.
> 
> Will the Wynhaught brotp be ruined forever?  
> What is going on with Waverly?  
> Is Doc still immortal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nicole Haught is really having a hard time in this one... 
> 
> A little more information about her struggle and how she is dealing with it, and Wynonna being useless at helping her. Quite proud of Nicole's inner struggle here, hope it seems realistic to you all x
> 
> I can't help but thinking we're going to get an angry, defeated and determined Nicole in season 4 so that's what I'm trying to capture in these chapters. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and ideas about how we're going to find our girls in the new season.

The morning had seemed to drag eternally; Nicole was on her 4th coffee and it was only 11am; she could feel Wynonna’s eyes burning into the side of her head. There was only so long she could ignore the piercing stare and the lack of work being done by the older Earp.

“What Wynonna.” Nicole snapped her head to the right, locking eyes with a shocked and concerned looking older Earp who immediately hardened into a defensive glare.

“You can’t ignore me forever.” 

“Yes I can and I intend to. I’m only here because you’re the only one who can help with this fucking case that is it. I’m here for myself. And Waverly. Not for you.” Nicole had decided there was no use in avoiding Wynonna, they needed each other’s knowledge. But that didn’t mean she was planning to interact with her, not yet; she couldn’t let herself forgive everything yet. Spending time with Wynonna risked forgiving her, risked falling back into old habits, risked finding comfort in the only person she had left, and risked being hurt again. She had to protect _herself_ this time. 

“Alright fine.” Wynonna huffed, looking away for the first time. Silence descended on the room uncomfortably, but only lasted a brief minute before Wynonna chirped up again causing Nicole to huff, rolling her eyes and putting down her pen. “But we need to talk about it. I don’t know what to do. I’m not good at this kind of thing.” Wynonna said deadpan, her eyes determined, betraying no emotion.

“Talk about what Wynonna, there’s nothing to talk about. Waverly is gone and we need to get her back.” That was a lie. There was a lot to talk about, too much in fact, which is why Nicole decided it was easier to not even open up that can of worms.

“Bullshit.” Wynonna huffed. “What if we can’t… get her back?” 

Nicole’s head shot back up and she slammed her hands on the table standing up. 

“No!” Nicole sucked in a breath. “You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to make that decision. You don’t even get to talk about that at all.” Nicole turned her back, willing herself to not let the tears fall. She hadn’t cried about it yet, not properly, too much had gone on in the last week for her to even properly think about the fact that Waverly was gone. Her bed had been empty, the only sleep she’d gotten was in her hospital bed, or when she passed out downstairs on the couch from reading or drinking. She knew if she got into bed, if she felt the cold cotton sheets which still smelled like roses and strawberries that she wouldn’t be able to take it anymore, so it was easier to just focus on the goal and let sleep takeover whenever it chose. 

Wynonna swallowed hard. 

“Look Nicole -“

“Sheriff Haught.” Nicole interrupted, turning back around.

“Seriously? Don’t be so immature.” Wynonna spat back.

“Immature? Really Wynonna? You’re one to talk! Drugging your best friend, letting a violent vampire follow our girl into the garden, running around here with that fucking ridiculous sword on your waist like you’re just going to stab someone and make it all okay. I’m immature?” Nicole broke now, the bandaid had been ripped off and everything had flown out all at once, a tsunami washing away everything prior to this conversation, a fresh slate. Wynonna looked stunned. Out of everything, the word best friend stung the most. There was that unspoken connection, the one that Wynonna had shattered like everything else she had in her life, and she didn’t know how to approach the comment, except with her own anger. 

“Yes okay, I’m sorry I’m not fucking perfect like you or Waverly, okay. I’m sorry I didn’t want anyone else I cared about getting killed by Bulshar or sucked into a secret invisible garden for god knows how long.” She was opposite Nicole now and her arms were flying around beside her. “I’m sorry the father of my baby is a bloodsucking psychopath, I’m sorry Waverly’s gone and I’m sorry she chose me as the stupid guardian instead of you!” She slammed the sword which she had unclipped from her belt on the desk with a crash. “Is that what you wanted?” Wynonna finished breathlessly.

Nicole didn’t reply, instead her hand raised and she hit Wynonna hard across the face with the back of her hand, her little blue ring breaking the skin as Wynonna’s hands shot up to her cheek and her jaw dropped in anger and shock. Instantly she lunged towards Nicole slamming her into the bookcase. The redhead sucked in sharply, attempting to hide the pain from the stab wound on her hip which was still freshly stitched up. Wynonna raised her fist as if about to punch Nicole but then decided against it as she saw her friend give up and brace herself for impact. Her face softened in pain and guilt that she had hurt Nicole so badly that it had finally come to this stage after everything they’d been through. Nicole didn’t seem scared of her, mostly hurt, and there was the hint of confusion which still lingered behind her hollow eyes. Quickly she pulled back, slamming Nicole against the bookcase one last time and then letting go roughly.

“Get out.” Nicole growled, grabbing the sheath on the table and heaving it towards Wynonna. “Get out. NOW!” She yelled, turning her face so Wynonna wouldn’t see the traitorous tear which had fallen.

“Nic -“ Wynonna began, but caught herself not wanting Nicole to correct her again. “I… we… we’ll get her back… I promise, nothing will happen to her. I won’t let it.” Wynonna sounded like she was begging and the thought of it made Nicole feel sick. As much as she wanted to hurt Wynonna, she also deep down wanted the comfort of being able to trust what she was saying. She wanted the whisky soaked and reckless, but strong, confident and witty girl she knew back. She needed Wynonna to tell her with utter confidence that they knew what needed to be done, that they understood the garden and what it wanted with Waverly, but right now she couldn’t do that, and Nicole couldn’t bring herself to look into Wynonna’s eyes knowing that there was even a hint of doubt in them.

“You already did let something happen to her.” Nicole pushed past Wynonna and out of the door. If the older Earp wasn’t going to leave, then she would. 

Nicole ran down the corridors of the station, the walls seemingly tightening around her, squeezing the air from her lungs and she burst into the toilets and into the stalls. Hitting her head against the locked door she exhaled and let the tears fall. Something had finally clicked and it terrified her. Everything in her wanted to crawl into bed and curl up and never get out, but even the thought of that terrified her. The emptiness of the bed. She had no where to go, no where to hide, no one to lean on. Dolls was gone, Wynonna was gone, Waverly was gone… hell even Doc was gone. Jeremy was here still, but he wasn’t good with emotion, with discussing those things, and neither was Nicole, so they never seemed to get anywhere. Nedley was here too, she could go to him, she knew she could, but something in her wanted to keep a professional front with him. So she was here, in the bathroom of her workplace, sliding down the red plastic door sobbing and retching on her hands and knees, unable to stop the shaking which was ricocheting like a bullet throughout her, intensifying how sick she felt. Her sobs had been so loud she hadn’t heard the door open and close behind her, until a voice broke through the raucous.

“Haught?”

“God, Wynonna, can’t I have five minutes alone?” Nicole stuttered, trying to keep composure and praying Wynonna hadn’t heard what was going on moments before, desperately gasping in breaths to calm her shaking. 

“There’s more… I need to tell you. About that day.” Wynonna leant with her back to the stall which Nicole was bent over the toilet in. Nicole sat up and pressed her back to the door resting her head back hard, deliberately inflicting a little pain. She hadn’t really let herself think about the first conversation she had shared with Wynonna after waking up in the hospital. It was one of those things which she knew would cause unrepairable damage if she let herself imagine it. She had shoved it aside, just like the empty bed or the ring on her bedside table and the unanswered question which stained it. None of that would matter anyway, because they would get Waverly back before she had time to worry about them. A part of her wanted nothing to do with whatever Wynonna was going to say, preferring to live in the closest vicinity to ignorant bliss, but the other, more sensible part ultimately won. If Wynonna had hidden it, it was obviously important… or damaging. Nicole shuddered, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Quickly, she recalled the previous conversation for gaps, possible hints which could be filled by what Wynonna was about to say.

* * *

_“Good, you’re awake. How’s the pain?” Wynonna stood over her and Nicole barely had time to open her eyes before Wynonna’s question had broken her peace._

_“Yeah, just about. It’s alright, a lot better than earlier, did they say when I could leave?”_

_“Yeah, there was no internal bleeding, so they stitched up and cleaned the wound, but it was pretty infected. I guess that tends to happen when lying in a barn for god knows how long.” Wynonna shook her head. “So they said you had to stay a couple of days to make sure it doesn’t spread, but then you should be good to go home, just no physical activity for a few months.” Wynonna smiled proudly, but it quickly faded._

_“So um, actually, talking about the barn incident… how much of that day you you remember?” Wynonna shuffled her feet awkwardly looking between the bed and the floor. Nicole bit her lip looking at the ceiling. When she had woken up in the barn she hadn’t remembered anything, or recognised anything, but she’d been lying in the bed for an hour, awake in silence, before Wynonna had noticed. She’d had time to think, and she did remember things, things she hoped weren’t true._

_“You mean the kitchen? When you drugged me?” Nicole tried to sound angry, but her voice was tired and laced with hurt. Wynonna looked at her face, noticing the hurt._

_“I was trying to keep you safe. I thought it would be okay, that it would work.”_

_“Why does everyone say that. I’m sick of being treated like the weakest link.” Nicole muttered, before realising what Wynonna had said. “What do you mean WOULD be okay? What would work?” She pushed herself up on her arms, feeling a panicked strength rising inside her._

_“Don’t panic. I need you to not freak out okay?” Wynonna’s eyes looked desperate and Nicole knew it was already too late, she was already panicking._

_“What is it Wynonna? You’re freaking me out.”_

_“It was a good plan, I really thought it was the only way. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise, you know I wouldn’t, I’d do anything to keep her safe but -“_

_“Wynonna!” Nicole’s harsh voice interrupted her and there was a pleading look in her eyes which just made everything harder for Wynonna to say. “What is it? Where is she Wynonna?”_

_“She’s in the garden.” Nicole’s heart stopped and she fell back in the bed, her hands instinctively rose to her face, covering her eyes in shock. No tears fell, she just lay there in stunned disbelief. She’d listened to what Wynonna had said, but she hadn’t heard it, not really. Or she had heard it, she just didn’t believe it, there was no way Wynonna would let them take her, to let Bulshar win._

_She wanted to laugh, to shake her head and hit her friend in the shoulder for such a stupid joke, to feign offence that she’d really got her this time, but all she cold manage was a strangled. “What?”_

_“I couldn’t stop it, I tried everything. There was this invisible barrier, I just kept being thrown back, there were branches and screaming and Bulshar, he turned into a snake and he bit me and Waverly was there and I couldn’t get to her and then Doc, he got through. I don’t know how, but he got through and I couldn’t.” Nicole listened, shaking her head in disbelief._

_“Wait, Doc? Doc, Doc? He’s in… the garden? With… with Waverly?” Nicole swallowed hard. Doc had killed Charlie, or Julien, because of his blood. His Angel blood. And now he was trapped, in somewhere, with just Waverly and nothing else, no one else._

_“Yeah, but I’m not sure if he’s like that anymore… I don’t know he seemed different.” Wynonna mumbled._

_“Like what? A psychopathic killing machine?” Nicole snapped, turning her head._

_“Nicole he went in to protect her! Something about him being the weapon she needed.”_

_“Yeah he’s a weapon alright, one who can’t resist the tase of Angel blood!” Nicole growled._

_“No, but I told you, he’s different, he seemed… better. He seemed like my Doc, the old Doc.” Nicole rolled her eyes at this, if she had a dollar for every time she’d heard Wynonna talking about ’the old Doc’._

_“So you’re saying he’s not a vampire anymore? That’s impossible Wynonna, it’s ridiculous!” Nicole raised her arms in defeat._

_“No, I don’t know what he is anymore, I have no idea.” Wynonna huffed desperately. “But I’m just saying he crossed the boundary, and he saved me, and oh shit yes! When you were stabbed, when you were dying, he brought you home and we were in the barn with Julien and Waverly, and he didn’t even flinch. Not at your blood, or either of their blood.” Wynonna’s eyes widened. “And the holy water thing couldn’t hold him in the barn.” She grinned as though this was good news._

_“Wynonna, there’s no way he’s mortal again, it doesn’t make any sense, you can’t just be a vampire one second and then a human the next.” Nicole furrowed her brow confused._

_“Why not? I was cursed one second and then free the next?” Wynonna said as though it was obvious._

_“It’s not the same and you know it, you’re behaving erratically, slow down and explain what happened.” Nicole was just as panicked as she had been moments before, but had somehow managed to calm herself, knowing the only way she could get through the conversation was to ignore the anger burning inside of her, to ignore the drugging and the swooning over Doc and to focus on the pure information of the situation: as she would in any other case._

_“Well after we left… you guys.” Wynonna bit her lip. “We went to the stairs, to find Bulshar and he was there, he was vulnerable, but not weak, not what I had expected. He almost killed me Nicole, but then Waverly got on the steps, and she pulled out a sword and said something about Angels being able to name heroes and then she named me the guardian and threw me the sword. I was distracted, I let my guard down and I didn’t see the branches coming from the gates! They had Waverly and she couldn’t stop them, I couldn’t stop them! I tried to get onto the stairs but I couldn’t get through. I thought I’d killed him, Bulshar, but he bit me. Doc appeared out of nowhere and sucked the venom and before I even knew what was happening he was on the stairs going after her and I was there alone.” She exhaled sharply when she was done with her ramble which was so close to Waverly’s rambling that it knocked the air from the redhead’s lungs._

_Nicole sat there silently taking it all in, her eyes scanning the brunette’s face, her mind working way too fast to try and remember everything. She didn’t even know where to begin. So she just asked the first thing she remembered._

_“How did you find me?” She sighed at the stupid question given the gravity of the situation._

_“Luck, I guess?” Wynonna frowned. “There was no one around, only Nedley in Shorty’s. We decided to just go wherever we thought you would go, to check everywhere. There was a name on the wall, did you, you know see anyone?” Nicole shook her head, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration._

_“So Bulshar?” Nicole asked next, she had no idea why she had ended up in the barn anymore than Wynonna did._

_“Dead.” Wynonna nodded._

_“Waverly and Doc?”_

_“In the garden I assume.” Wynonna looked down, ashamed._

_“You?”_

_“What?” Wynonna looked confused at that one._

_“Well what are you? Cursed still, mortal? Angel? What does that mean?” She pointed to the sword on the chair behind Wynonna._

_“Oh, I’m… I honestly don’t know." She dropped her hands in defeat. “None of it makes any sense. I’m not cursed, the revenants are gone, but Waverly named me the guardian, and I don’t know what that means.” She sighed, sitting down defeated. “Just that this is peacemaker.”_

_“Peacemaker as in the gun peacemaker?”_

_“Yeah, only it’s definitely not a gun anymore.” Wynonna looked at the sword in her lap, resting her head in her hands on her knees._

_“Can you leave?” Nicole wanted it to sound threatening, she’d had enough of Wynonna, she’d been ignoring the anger, but she wanted to jump out of the bed and smash Wynonna agains the wall. It came out more of a question than she had intended, she was exhausted, and her head was pounding with anger and confusion and hurt and she just wanted to be alone._

_“What?” Wynonna looked up._

_“Please, Wynonna. You can’t be here right now, I can’t… deal with this… or you right now.” Nicole locked eyes, willing herself not to show weakness._

_“I… okay.” Wynonna headed for the door without looking back. What had she expected? Nicole to forgive her instantly? Maybe, she had forgiven her before._

* * *

“What is it?” Nicole sighed from her side of the door. 

“It’s about Waves.” Wynonna slid to the floor on the opposite side of the door to Nicole.

“She begged me not to leave her alone in there… with that thing.” Nicole pressed her hands to her face, she didn’t want to hear this, but she couldn’t stop listening. “God Nicole she looked terrified. I can’t sleep I just keep hearing her voice over and over again begging me to come and get her, not to leave her. I wake up screaming or I see her eyes in my nightmares, wide and shaking, her voice is haunting me.” Wynonna shook her head trying to laugh it off, but knowing the only way to get Nicole to listen was to show her own fear. Nicole didn’t say anything, she wasn’t sure what to say, and even if she was, no words would come out.

“She told me to tell you -“

“What?” Nicole snapped back into focus.

“I didn’t let her finish.” Wynonna tilted her head up to the sky, cursing herself for how naive she had been in that moment.

“What the fuck do you mean you wouldn’t let her finish?” Nicole rose from the floor quickly and swung the door open, Wynonna falling back before leaping to her feet. Nicole’s tears dried against her red cheeks now, her eyes locked and determined: hurt replaced with anger. 

“I told her to tell you herself.” Wynonna shrugged like it was no big deal. “And she wi-“ Nicole grabbed Wynonna again and the brunette flinched, pushing back hard. 

“When are you going to learn that somethings aren’t your decision to make?” Nicole screamed.

“Nicole, we’ll get her back. She won’t be there long, we’ve fixed everything else, we’ll fix this.” It almost looked like Wynonna believed her own words… almost, but not quite. 

“I can’t do this Wynonna, I don’t want to hear it, I can’t even look at you right now.” Nicole pushed past Wynonna but was stopped when the older Earp wedged herself in between her and the door.

“You have to Nicole, because she needs you.” Nicole moved towards the door again, shaking her head. “I need you.” Wynonna blurted out as Nicole’s back was to her.

“You didn’t seem to need me when you left me passed out on the floor of the homestead.” Nicole scowled, her hands balling into fists by her sides.

“I’ve told you a hundred times I was trying to protect you, I know it was a stupid selfish idea, but you know what? I wouldn’t change it if I could go back. I already lost Waverly to the garden and it’s hard enough having you hating me, but at least you're here in the same room as me!” Wynonna yelled back.

“You’re ridiculous.” Nicole yanked the door open hard, causing her to wince in pain at her side. Wynonna marched after her down the corridor, not caring if she was making a scene or not. 

“Yeah well at least I’m trying to find my sister instead of stumbling around my house drinking myself to an early grave!” Wynonna snarled and Nicole grabbed her wrist tugging her into the office after her and slamming the door.

“Jesus Wynonna! We’re in public! And you’re one to talk about drinking!” Nicole let go of Wynonna’s wrist, distancing herself quickly so she didn’t do something stupid.

“Difference is, I fight for what matters. Drink or no drink, I’m the one putting the pieces together whist you mope around like a useless sack of shit!” Nicole tensed her jaw, she knew Wynonna was right, she’d barely done anything to help other than read a few biblical phrases about the Garden of Eden. Something inside her wouldn’t let her look at anything remotely negative to do with the garden, it was easier to imagine that Waverly was in a perfect world, than to picture her alone cold in the dark or worse, dead. 

“Sorry I can’t just turn off my feelings and pretend like Waverly is about to run through that door in her floral crop top and rose perfume!” Nicole let out a sob at the last part, it was the first time she’d really spoken about Waverly to anyone. Inside she was achingly aware of her absence, they were almost never apart. Waverly was always around the corner in the Lab, or running to get coffee for lunch, in the evenings she’d stay at the homestead, or occasionally Waverly at hers. They may not have lived together, but they might as well. The last week was the longest they’d ever been apart and Nicole felt lost, she felt lonely even when surrounded by people and she was terrified this would be her life forever. 

“Nicole that’s not fair I -“

“No! What’s not fair is the fact that I was supposed to be there! I was supposed to protect her, like the sheriff would, like a girlfriend would!” Nicole squared up to Wynonna. “It’s not fair that every time I take a step forward with you Earp, you push me back four! And it’s not fair that Waverly is in the garden, and you’re standing here like nothing is wrong! Everything is wrong Wynonna! Everything! She’s gone and I don’t know how to get her back!” Nicole was right in front of Wynonna now, her breath was hot and ragged against the brunette’s face and Wynonna’s shoulders sank at the words, her eyes eyebrows moving up and down in sadness, her eyes softening.

“I know.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “It’s not fair, none of it is fair. It’s not fair that she’s the chosen one whatever that means, it’s not fair that I couldn’t get into the garden and it’s not fair what I did to you. But we can’t change any of that. All we can do is get her back, and I can’t do it on my own. I know you’ll probably never forget this, or what I did, but Dolls is gone, Doc is gone, Waverly is gone, Mamma is gone, Jeremy is in some weird shock state you’re the only one left Nicole.” Wynonna opened her eyes again and her expression had changed into hurt and confusion, mirroring that of the redhead. “You’re literally the only person who can help get her back.” Wynonna stepped back trying to read Nicole’s blank expression. She looked exhausted, the bags under her eyes were so prominent they looked physically painful, and her eyes were glazed over with tears and sleeplessness. Her jaw was more prominent than ever, from the permanent tension in her body and her cheeks were hollow and thin from the lack of food. 

“I need to go home.” Nicole mumbled, headed for the door.

“Yeah I think you do.” Wynonna mumbled back, unsure if anything she had said had gone in or not, but knowing they weren’t getting any further today.

* * *

The smell of roses overwhelmed Nicole's nostrils, each inhale made her feel sick, suddenly the scent which always brought her comfort seemed too sweet; the natural musk which balanced it had faded in the small girls absence. She forced herself to lie there though, her entire body was tense and she could feel the sheets sticking to her back with her nervous sweat. Balled in her fists, the sheets crumpled at her sides and her breath fell heavy and ragged into the silent room. But she was doing it, she was here in her own bed, which smelled like Waverly, for the first time in over a week. Was this a comfort or a punishment? She wasn't sure, but she was sure that it was important. 15 minutes. 15 minutes she'd promised herself, to lie here and think. That's all she had to do: think. 

Opening her eyes she reached out her left hand and closed it around the ring on her bedside table, taking it onto her stomach and looking at it. It was duller now than she remembered and she couldn't help wondering if it still worked, if that was even the right word? It hadn't worked on Julien, but that could have just been because it was him? Did it have any power? It wouldn't work for her regardless, she was just human, which she was reminded of far too often. Would it work for Wynonna, now she was the guardian? There was no way to know those answers, so Nicole moved onto the next thing, systematically working her way through everything. Doc. Was he still a vampire? Everything in her yearned for the answer to be no, she didn't trust him alone with Waverly, and he wouldn't have been able to enter the garden as a vampire right? But Bulshar had to be wrong about the mortal thing, Waverly wasn't mortal, not entirely at least. If it was that easy to get into the garden, her or Wynonna would have been able to walk in after her. So many unanswered questions. She hid the ring in her palm now, clasping her fingers around it, wishing she could feel something from it, anything. This is why its easier not to think, she ironically thought, closing her eyes briefly. 5 more minutes, she looked at the clock inhaling sharply, then instantly regretting it as the smell of fresh roses gagged her again. The snake, the garden and the guardian. She sighed. It made no sense, if Julien was the guardian, then Wynonna had taken his place, not Waverly, so what was she doing in the garden? Most importantly how did they get her back? And how did Doc get in, if he was either vampire or human? Bulshar was gone, which means so was the snake, so whats the garden of Eden without -

Nicole shot up like a bullet in bed and looked at the clock, 3 minutes left. "Fuck it." She mumbled, leaping out of bed, ring in one hand, she grabbed her phone with the other.

"Nicole?" Wynonna's voice sounded as shocked at receiving the call as Nicole was at making it. 

"Wynonna, hi." Nicole was uncomfortable, but she had to push it aside. "Um I have an idea, can you maybe come over, I'd come to you but -" she stopped, feeling ashamed that she'd been drinking even after their earlier conversation. Wynonna seemed to understand, or at least pretended too.

"Yeah, of course, yeah, sure, I'll be there in 15." The call ended and Nicole looked back to the indent in the bed, promising herself to try again later. Somehow she was feeling a little better after trying it, somehow she felt less alone. Although, that was probably more to do with the phone call she'd just made than she cared to admit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could Nicole have thought of?
> 
> Emily hinted at a more Nicole-centric story arc this season, soooo that's what I'm doing in this fic - more to come in future chapters on Nicole's past ;) 
> 
> Also - the real THEORY part of the fic starts next chapter soooo be prepared because the next one is a long one.
> 
> Fic recommendation for the week: 'You Made me Love you' by the one the only bootsncatz - an old western fic where Nicole accidentally ends up with a mail order bride (Waverly) and Waverly is determined to get past Nicole's propriety so they can be together - so much happens and the story is beautiful and so well written! Defo check it out if you haven't already :)
> 
> Next update on Friday (if I don't choose to upload it before lol) come annoy me on social media if you like @waverly_angel_earp (insta) or @charzpov (twitter) love ya x


	3. Chapter 03

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna and Nicole try to work together.  
> Nedley has a secret.  
> Waverly starts to see the cracks as she prepares for her wedding day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much happens in this chapter. I'm particularly proud of the Nedley part :) I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. 
> 
> I just want to say in the midst of everything going on right now, I hope everyone is okay and please check my social media for information with how to help with the BLM movement. I hope people stop attacking the cast and instead invest that energy in petitions and education :) let's do this together not against each other!
> 
> p.s. SEASON 4 THIS SUMMER!! CONFIRMED!

_  
Beaming at her sister lying on her back with her legs stretched out in front of her on the spotless leather couch, Waverly rolled her eyes._

_"Wynonna your nose." The younger Earp shook her head with a chuckle._

_"Let me live babygirl." Wynonna smirked tilting her head to the side not bothering to wipe the sugar from her nose; she shook her head softly._

_"I liked the other one better." She stated matter of factly._

_"Really? Why?" Waverly was surprised, this one had silver diamond shoulders which she thought her sister would love._

_"I don't know, it just doesn't seem like you? It's nice and you look gorgeous, it's just - when was the last time you wore shoulder pads?" Wynonna laughed, swinging her legs around so she was sat up now. Waverly laughed in response, their laughs filled the room a little too long and it felt weird, nothing had been that funny. She shook it off, continuing._

_"Yeah, you're right. I only picked it because it reminded me of a fairy princess." She spun. "They're like wings." She laughed, but felt a sudden unease and her back itched - what the hell was going on?_

_"Anyway, next one." She cheerfully sung and hopped back behind the curtain to switch dresses as she heard Wynonna hum a little melody which ended quickly._

_Everything felt off, it felt flat, Wynonna seemed different, happier - even for a good day. She had deja vu, but couldn't put her finger on it. In fact, she couldn't remember anything from yesterday, or the day before that for that matter. She couldn't even remember coming to this place, just that she was going to marry Nicole and she was trying on dresses with her sister._

_"Waverly!"_

_She stuck her head out of the dressing room, staring at her sister eyebrows raised expectantly._

_"What's wrong?" Her sister asked._

_"What? You called me?" Waverly furrowed her brow._

_"Um no I didn't babygirl, I've just been sitting here quietly enjoying my doughnuts." She held up the box proud._

_Weird, Waverly thought, but she shook it off again. "Get it together Earp" she muttered, slipping back behind the curtain. She should be happier than ever, the revenants were gone... wait how did she know that... she couldn't remember that discussion either? Never mind. She was going to marry her dream woman, focus on that, she sighed slipping out of the dress. Wedding nerves, she put it down to._

* * *

It was apparent both parties were uncomfortable in the silence of Nicole's kitchen as Wynonna clicked her pen incessantly and Nicole picked at her nails, unsure where to start.

"I had an idea." Nicole started.

"Do share." Wynonna bluntly replied.

"Well, um, you said Doc sucked the venom out of you right?" Wynonna nodded. "And that you killed Bulshar?" Again the older Earp nodded. "So what if that's how he got into the garden? Like if someone had to replace the snake? And he took that role?" She looked down, suddenly aware there wasn't much evidence for her statement.

"Do you think that's how it works?" Wynonna half dismissed the answer. 

"I don't have a damn clue Wynonna!" Nicole snapped, sitting up. "Nothing makes sense in this place, but it's all I could come up with okay!"

"Alright, okay, jesus I can't work with you if you're going to be like this!" Wynonna rolled her eyes. 

"Well tough, you're going to have to, because we need to get Waverly back!" Nicole growled and Wynonna's eyes lit up for a second at the fact the redhead was finally ready to work together. Not wanting to push any further and risk taking a step backwards in the progress, she leant forward and continued the conversation about the garden.

"Alright, say you're right, how does that help us?"

"Well it doesn't... not really." Nicole mumbled. "It would mean theoretically she had to get out of the garden herself, like Eve did I guess?" Nicole bit her lip.

"Well thats bullshit!" Wynonna stood up suddenly. "What are we just supposed to drop her a text 'Waves babygirl you've gotta figure this one out on your own, we're out here waiting!' Bullshit!" She hissed. 

"Well there's the trees too I guess." Nicole shrugged, ignoring Wynonna's tantrum and thankful for the alcohol in her veins which was calming her. 

"What about them?"

"Well have you never thought it was a bit weird? You know, the fact Jolene was killed by them, Waves taken by them and the fact Robin coughed up dirt and licked a potato? We know Bulshar had some weird connection to the trees, but what if its more than that?" Nicole traced the grain of the table with her pointer finger.

"So what if he did? He's dead now." Wynonna stated blankly, sitting back down.

"You're incredulous! You haven't helped at all, I don't even know why I called you!" Nicole slammed her hands down against the table in defeat.

"Alright fine, what about the cult?" Wynonna crossed her arms leaning back in her chair as Nicole stiffened.

"What about it?"

"Well you conveniently left that part out. The fact that the trees never burned down at all, or if they did they grew back pretty damn quick." Nicole just stared at her and didn’t say anything, she didn't like the direction this conversion was going now.

"Don't you have all the files for it?" Wynonna shrugged.

"Yeah I do but I don't -" Wynonna cut her off.

"Look you wanted my help and if the trees are what we're going with then I think it's got something to do with the cult." Nicole rolled her eyes, but decided there was no point in arguing, she didn't have the strength or brain power right now.

"Fine, they're at the office though."

"Fine, I'll drive, you can call Robin and get him to meet us there."

"Wynonna its midnight, I don't think -"

"I don't care if its 3am, Waverly is missing, Robin obviously has things he hasn't shared with us and we need all hands on deck. So either you call him or I will!" They made their way out, locking the front door and Nicole dialled Robin in her phone as they drove off.

* * *

_  
Waverly's hands toyed with the curtain, it was the 7th dress she'd tried on and she was getting good at reading her sister's reactions now: how she would try and hide her displeasure at ones which Waverly seemed to like, but her raised brow and twitching lips gave her away. Never one for subtlety, Wynonna Earp. Waverly really liked this one though, she had understood Wynonna's point with the other ones: too much or not enough, or awkward looking, or just not her, but this one felt different, perfect. She was nervous her sisters face would ruin it, or her comment would find some way to turn it into something less perfect._

_The dress had a lace top, with 3/4 length lace sleeves and an off the shoulder neckline. Lower down though, the dress was flowing, there were different layers and the skirt scattered out in a perfect bohemian princess dress._

_Finally after seemingly hours of hesitation she pulled back the curtain to find Wynonna sitting up ready for her reveal. Almost instantly, the older Earp’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she almost choked on the final doughnut._

_“Well?” Waverly asked, tentatively stepping forward, her hands shaking nervously and a self-conscious blush creeping into her cheeks._

_“Wave’s I… holy shit… it’s…” Wynonna fumbled for words, putting the Doughnut back in the box and standing up slowly. “You look incredible babygirl, it’s incredible. I love it, it’s perfect.” Wynonna rambled running her not sugar covered hand over the fabric until her eyes lifted back up and found Waverly’s tear filled eyes. “What do you think?” She asked her younger sister now._

_Waverly swallowed and nodded, a smile pulling at her lips. “I love it.” She breathed. “It’s exactly what I wanted.”_

* * *

"So what you're saying is..."

Everyone nodded. Nicole's head was pounding by this point, the lack of sleep was finally beginning to catch up with her and she could barely keep her eyes open through the pain and exhaustion. Yawning, she sank into her desk chair as everyone stood around the desk. 

"What?" Wynonna snapped.

"Nothing, why?" Nicole mumbled back.

"You've got nothing?"

"Nope." Nicole frowned staring at the table. "I guess if there was a way to open the gate for even a second we could send a message?" 

"It feels like you're just making shit up now Haught." Wynonna barked.

"I am." Nicole shrugged leaning back, but almost instantly her eyes glazed over and she looked as though she might cry. Wynonna's own face softened slightly at the sight.

"I am making things up, because I'm not good at this. This is Waverly's thing, she's the one who figures things out, who puts things together. You know why we haven't figured it out? Because we don't have her!" Nicole almost let out a sob at the confession which everyone knew to be true, as the room fell into silence.

After a minute Wynonna broke the silence.

"Alright, forget about the trees for now, what about Valdez? What's that about?"

“Valdez? Isn't it Spanish?" Nicole asked.

"I think so but what does it mean?" Jeremy asked and Wynonna and Robin shrugged.

"This is why we need her." Nicole sighed quietly, but everyone had heard and they all looked down sadly. It was true. This was where Waverly would jump into an enthusiastically charged speech about the origin of the word and how it developed over time and Nicole would be a combination of turned on and proud, Wynonna would roll her eyes in disbelief and Jeremy and Robin would already be latching onto it for their next stage of the plan. But she wasn't here. There was no excited speech. So they all stood silently as Nicole flicked through the dictionary.

“Here," she flipped it around, disinterested, “it says..."

"Valley of the river." Jeremy finished.

"Fat lot of fucking good that is! There are hundreds of rivers around here!" Wynonna huffed, dropping into the chair, achingly aware of how important Waverly was to the team. More than just how important she was to them all personally, she was integral to the team, the entire thing was a shit show without her. Wynonna promised herself to tell her sister more often how intelligent she was and how crucial she was to the team when they got her back.

"It could be a name?" Robin offered.

“A name? Bit of an unusual name isn’t it?” Wynonna instantly dismissed the idea and there was an uncomfortable silence as the room ran out of leads to follow, highly aware they were clutching at straws. 

After an achingly painful five minutes of silence, Jeremy cried out in excitement. "A surname!" He leapt up, pushing Nicole out of the way as she grunted. He began typing animatedly at the computer pulling up page after page and inserting credentials. 

"Agent Valdez." He stated proudly spinning the screen round so everyone could see as Nicole got up to stand next to the others.

"She was high up in BBD, honestly I'm surprised her file is still accessible, but it is." 

"Perfect." Wynonna grinned. "Tomorrow we hunt down the bitch and find out why she happened to deface my house the day my sister went missing." She slapped Jeremy's shoulder.

"Good job team, let's get sleep ready to kick some ass tomorrow." They hurried towards the door.

"I'm gonna crash here." Nicole mumbled as everyone made their way to the door.

"Haught I'll give you a lift, I'm not sure -"

"Wynonna I said I'd work with you, I didn't say we we're friends. I want to sleep here, now go home Earp." She shut the office door, leaving Wynonna on the other side.

* * *

The next morning rather than being woken by her alarm, the redhead was woken by a loud knocking. 

"Come in." She pushed herself off the couch, quickly straightening her uniform which she'd slept in.

"Nicole I need a word please.” The older man sauntered towards her.

"What is it Sheriff?"

"I think it will help. With Waverly. Well im not sure, but regardless, I think you should hear it from me."

Nicole tried not to snap, but she was tired, impatient and frankly a little terrified of the look on the older man's face.

"What is it?" She asked again.

"It's about Bulshar, about... that day." He scratched his neck. "I think you should sit down Nicole." He mumbled and she hurried to her desk chair, desperate to do whatever it took to get the older man to talk.

"I didn't quite tell you everything." He sighed and Nicole nodded and raised her brows, gesturing for him to go on. She'd just about heard everything, but Nedley was a sharp shooter and even the couple of minutes he'd been stalling gave her an uneasy feeling.

"It's true I found you by the river, with the kayak, but someone else was with you. Bulshar." He paused reading the officers face which was just frozen with intent and shock, so he carried on, eager to get this over with. “I’m not sure you saw him, he came up in the trees behind me and you were a little’n, you were crying so didn’t hear any of it. He told me he'd never seen such a youngun with such wit. I was a young cop with a teriffied young girl in my arms, desperate to save her, so when he offered a deal I took it. I just didn't know exactly what it was at the time, but recently I've had the feeling it had something to do with Waverly."

At the mention of the girls name Nicole stiffened in her chair, not sure what to make of this information. Nedley had made a deal with a literal demon snake to save her life, but now it might have cost them Waverly's. 

"What was the deal?" 

"He only told me one half of it." Nedley shook his head. "I should have been more careful, but in the moment I barely thought. This man had just murdered hundreds of innocent people and I had no idea who he was at the time."

"Nedley?" Nicole pleaded for the man to tell her more and he nodded swallowing.

"Alright, he said he would spare you as long as he got one thing." Nedley paused. "He just said 'protect her until she’s ready'. At the time I thought he was talking to me, telling me to protect you and it seemed like an amazing deal." He blushed at his own naivety. "Nicole I think he was talking to you... about Waverly.” The redhead sank back into her chair running her hands through her hair in shock. Instantly her mind flicked back to a conversation she’d had with Waverly when they’d first discussed the cult: “which means that none of us have any free will over our lives and we’re all going to die anyway, so what’s the point?” At the time she’d discard the comment with something soppy, focusing on the present, but knowing what she did now… Waverly had no idea just how little free will they actually had. Nicole was beginning to feel like nothing in her entire life was a coincidence and every single thing happened for a reason. 

Everything was so overwhelming, she had no idea how to approach the situation with her boss, the man she looked to like a father. Emotions washed through her: panic, hurt, betrayal, terror, confusion, making her entire body feel cold. She didn’t know whether she wanted to scream or cry. Nedley had lied to her, the person she trusted with her life had lied about one of the most important things to her. She wanted to be angry, she should be angry, but more than anything she felt hurt and confused. Did ‘until she’s ready’ mean ready to enter the garden? If so, she was just a pawn in Bulshar’s game and her role in Waverly’s life was no more than a protector. It was her fault Waverly was gone; she’d done exactly what Bulshar wanted. Then there was the lack of control. Nicole prided herself on her ability to control a situation, to maintain control over her decisions and actions, all she had going for her was her self-control. Suddenly, not only had Wynonna taken control of Waverly’s fate which was hard enough to handle, Nedley had taken control of her own. The entire reality of the situation was overwhelming. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Was all she could manage in response, she felt so helpless and confused that all she could do was try and understand the simplest part of it all.

“I figured it didn’t matter. I had no idea who he was until recently, and by then it seemed too late. Nicole I never thought anything would actually come of it.” Nedley looked down awkwardly and anger bubbled inside Nicole threatening to explode. It felt like she’d taken four steps back, to where she had been with Wynonna last week, she was so sick of people lying and manipulating her to protect her. Her entire life she’d trained and worked to be able to protect herself, but no one ever seemed to consider that, she was tired of it, of everyone. Except, a thought floated to the back of her mind, maybe she hadn’t ever protected herself after all. She thought of all of the near brushes with death, Wynonna had joked about it a lot, and she’d brushed it off, but what if the reason she was still alive wasn’t a coincidence at all: it was Bulshar. And if Bulshar was dead, that meant she was no longer protected… The idea of it terrified her. Before today she hadn’t thought of the possibility of a spell protecting her from death, hadn’t even questioned her experiences, but suddenly she felt entirely vulnerable and exposed. 

“I want to be alone.” Nicole squeaked from behind her desk and Nedley knew the girl well enough not to argue. Nodding as he left, he quickly added one final thing.

“This doesn’t change anything Nicole. You’re still an excellent Sheriff and you’re still the love of that girls life.” Before she could reply he headed off down the hallway shutting the door behind him. It was meant to comfort her, but all it did was spark the burning anger inside her. Once she was alone she couldn’t stop the tears anymore, they spilled from her eyes and onto the desk as she slumped over head into the crease of her folded arms and sobbed. 

After what felt like hours, but was really closer to 10 minutes, of crying, there was a knock at the door and before she could reply it flung open to reveal Wynonna, jacket in one hand and coffee in the other, clearly ready to go somewhere. Fumbling, Nicole scrambled to wipe her eyes, but she knew it was pointless her face must have been bright red and her eyes puffy by this point.

Before really taking in the scene, Wynonna began. “Alright, grab your things, nerd one and nerd two think they found Valdez’s -“ she stopped as she finally saw the redhead in her chair looking like she’d spent her entire life crying.

“Nicole what -“

“It’s fine let’s go.” Nicole huffed, standing up and moving to the door which Wynonna hastily slammed, shutting them both in. They were now standing in very close proximity and Wynonna could see every tear stain on Nicole’s face as the officer moved back quickly shaking her head.

“I said let’s go Earp, we don’t have time to waste.” Wynonna held the door shut and squinted her eyes.

“Not until you tell me what the hell is going on. And don’t say Waverly is missing, because she’s been missing over a week, so I really don’t think that’s the only reason you’re in this state.” Wynonna growled.

“It’s none of your business, you’re only here until we find Waverly so let’s go.” Nicole tried to brush past her, but Wynonna pushed her back hard.

“I’m serious. I know you think I don’t give a shit what you do, but going out in this state isn’t going to help anyone. I don’t think Valdez is going to listen to a word we say if you look like that!” Wynonna tried another tactic now. “Is this about Nedley? Because I saw him leaving here looking like he’d just killed a puppy soooo…” She trailed off and instantly noticed Nicole tense briefly.

“I told you it’s none of your business!” Nicole yelled now and Wynonna steeled.

“Well I’m not moving until you tell me, so either you tell me or you make me.” Wynonna readied herself. After Nicole’s outburst she couldn’t be 100% sure she wouldn’t go for the latter. Thankfully, the redhead just rolled her eyes huffing.

“Fine. It’s about the cult.” She winced at her own words. She really did not want to be having this discussion again, least of all with Wynonna, but she was losing patience and this was the only way. “Nedley made a deal with Bulshar to save me and he thinks the consequence was that I had to protect Waverly until she was ready to go to the garden okay? So drop it now and let’s go.” She slammed her hands to her sides angrily.

“Woah Nicole. What?”

“You heard me.” 

“So you and Waverly -“

“Yeah it wasn’t a coincidence. Can we go now, I don’t want to talk about it.” Nicole tried to walk past Wynonna again and this time the girl didn’t stop her, but she also didn’t necessarily move, she seemed like she was in some kind of shock which she quickly snapped out of, pulling the other girl back and shutting the door again.

“Why is that such a big deal to you?” Wynonna furrowed her brow, a little confused now. She understood that it was hard that Nedley had lied to her, but other than that it didn’t seem to change anything. Clearly, Wynonna didn’t see it the way her friend did. 

"Wynonna did you hear what I said?" The redhead yelled and Wynonna's eyes widened, confused. "It's my fault she's in there! I was just a piece in the plan!" Wynonna's face dropped as she saw the pain and loss spread over her friends face. Shaking her head and stepping towards Nicole who was pacing in the middle of the room now

"It's not your fault you idiot! What was the alternative? You let her die before she got taken? That's ridiculous, you protected her! None of this this had anything to do with you! It's him! It's always him!” Wynonna firmly stated. 

"What if she doesn't... our connection if its all to do with..." Nicole trailed off, fighting tears. 

"Do you still love her?" Wynonna asked bluntly.

"Of course I do! What kind of -"

"Well then, she still loves you. Bulshar might have been in control of a lot more than we anticipated, but he can't control who you love. Those do-me eyes, as gross as they are, are one hundred percent Waverly." Wynonna reassured her and Nicole felt her guard drop a little for the first time in a week around the older Earp.

“Thank you.” She sighed, shifting uncomfortably. Wynonna felt her heart jump a little, maybe Nicole would eventually get over what she’d done… maybe. “Okay that’s enough of that for today, let’s go find Valdez.” Nicole nodded and Wynonna finally moved to let her past, satisfied with the conversation.

“One step ahead of you.” She mused as they walked out the front door together. 

* * *

_  
*knock knock*_

_“One second Wynonna, I’m getting changed!” The door to her room cracked open as Waverly quickly slipped her vest top on, only just managing to cover herself as she turned to face the door._

_“Wyn! I said I was -“ She paused when she saw the woman in the doorway. “Nicole! What are you doing here! You can’t -“_

_“Shhh! Wynonna is downstairs!” The redhead walked towards her with a childish, goofy grin on her face and snaked her arms around her waist. Everything in her told her to push Nicole away, to tell her to leave before she was caught, but the way her girl was looking at her shattered any integrity she had like glass and she sank into the arms._

_“She’s going to kill you if she finds you!” Waverly giggled. “You know it’s bad luck to see each other the night before the wedding.” Pulling away, with arms still entwined, she beamed up at her beautiful fiancé._

_“She can try.” Nicole winked, lifting one arm to flex a muscle beneath her navy blue work t-shirt. “I just wanted to see you... I missed you.” She touched her lips to Waverly’s forehead inhaling the faint floral smells. The small girl smiled at the familiarity of the gesture, reaching her hand up to trace circles in the tiny red curls at the nape of the girls neck. “Besides, I’m marrying an Earp, it’s almost inevitable something will happen anyway.” She winked. “So can I just spend tonight with you, my… beautiful… fiancé…” Among the last few words she sprinkled kisses all over Waverly’s face, causing her to laugh and blush._

_“How could I refuse that?” She grinned, pulling Nicole into a proper kiss now her initial nerves had calmed._

_Together they sank back onto Waverly’s bed, hands floating everywhere, lips still connected as they laughed like naughty school children into the kiss. There was something exciting and exhilarating about having to sneak around to see your partner, it felt like they were back at the start of the relationship again, all secretive and intimate. The mere thought of it gave them both goosebumps._

_Still though, even with the soft scent of donuts and the passionate, yet caring lips which danced with her own, something felt off. Again and again she tried to put it down to nerves, but she was loosing parts of her days, she could feel it. Just like before, she had no idea how she had gotten to her room; she remembered the dress shopping, and the proposal, but everything in between had gone. Who had planned the wedding? She was pretty sure she hadn’t. Who was coming? She didn’t remember inviting anyone. The moment felt cardboard. Nicole in her tight jeans and Purgatory PD t-shirt with glimmering eyes and soft hands still turned her on more than anything, but the kisses felt different, they felt empty almost like something was missing. Nerves. It had to be nerves._

_“Nicole?” Quickly, Waverly broke away from the kiss, leaning up on her elbow to look at Nicole who was leant on hers opposite with a smile. The redhead’s free hand caressed her hip bone tenderly._

_“Yeah baby, what’s wrong?” She cooed, kissing her nose._

_“Are you nervous?” Waverly bit her lip, as if embarrassed by the question._

_“A little yeah.” The older girl admitted. “Of course I am, I don’t really like having everyone’s eyes on me, especially if I cry.” She laughed a breathy laugh. “But I’m excited too, because I love you.” Beaming she kissed Waverly gently._

_“Okay, me too. I’m just nervous something is going to go wrong I guess.” Waverly shrugged and Nicole furrowed her brow. “You were right. With what you said about Earp’s I mean. It’s almost inevitable something will go wrong.” She swallowed hard._

_“Hey, Waves I was just kidding baby, it’s going to be perfect, everything is already arranged, and we’re having it here remember? And I’ve got cops to guard it, plus the revenants are gone. It’s going to be perfect baby, I promise.” The small girl tried to latch onto the words and grasp every bit of hope out of them as she forced a little smile and nod._

_“Mhmm yeah, you’re right. I just… who organised it? And um… who is coming?” She blushed, ashamed that she couldn’t remember._

_“We did silly.” Nicole brushed a thumb over her cheek and pushed her fringe aside gently. “Mostly we agreed on everything, where to have it, Jeremy being my best man and Doc officiating; Wynonna giving you away and Nedley me. Chrissy and Alice are your bridesmaids. There was a minor disagreement over flowers - I thought red roses were a little, well straight? But we figured it out and settled for sunflowers - they’re different and your favourite, plus you said they go well with blue.” She grinned, kissing Waverly’s cheek. “Everyone is coming, all of our friends - Gus and Alice too! Your high school friends and some of my friends from the academy. There won’t be that many people, but it will be intimate and beautiful. Just like we wanted.” With a small smile she kissed Waverly’s lips. “Remember now?”_

_Without noticing a change, Waverly realised she did remember. Suddenly, somehow, she remembered the planning, the bickering, the hen nights, the make up sex, the excitement of mood boards and returned phone calls. Something was going on, but Waverly was too suddenly overwhelmed with the happiness of it being the eve of her wedding and having the love of her life in her bed with her._

_“I do remember. I remember it all. Just wanted to hear you say it.” She grinned, pulling Nicole back in. This time she felt it, she felt everything she wanted to, the butterflies dancing in her stomach, the heat which dropped between her legs, the goosebumps painting her skin, the smile which burst on her face. She felt it all again, the love which she never ever thought was possible until she met Nicole Haught._

_After ten more minutes of heavy breathing, gentle moans and the occasional giggle they were interrupted by a booming voice. “Waves! What are you doing? You’re being so loud! I can hear you groaning and banging around up there! You better not be moving furniture at this time of night!”_

_In an attempt to stifle a laugh, Nicole shoved her head into the pillow with a groan. Waverly let out a breathy laugh, somehow, even after everything, Wynonna was still completely oblivious._

_“Yeah, sorry, I got nervous, just decided to move the dresser to the other side of the room so I had space to… dance?” She yelled back and her voice squeaked at the last part, as she struggled to find a reason for why she would be moving furniture around. She needn’t have tried however, as the door burst open and Wynonna barged in finding her wrapped around Nicole, both of them shirtless, but thankfully still with bras on._

_Quickly, Nicole fumbled to grab the blanket and pull it over her, exposing Waverly more._

_“Jesus Wyn, learn to knock!” Waverly scrambled, pulling her pyjama top back on._

_“WHAT THE SHIT IS SHE DOING HERE?” Wynonna screeched, causing Nicole to pull the blanket up to her ears._

_“We missed each other!” The small girl smiled at Nicole getting an eye roll from Wynonna._

_“It’s been less than 24 hours! If you get bad luck, don’t blame me!” She groaned._

_“Didn’t have you down as the superstitious type Earp.” Nicole grinned._

_“Shut it red. I know this was your idea. Get out of my sisters bed!” She reached across to grab Nicole’s hand, but the blanket fell away and they both screamed._

_“Oh my god will you two stop being so dramatic. It’s the same as wearing a bikini.” Waverly rolled her eyes._

_“Yeah and I don’t exactly want to see Deputy do-me-eyes in a bikini babygirl!” The older girl retorted._

_“She’s here now, we’ve seen each other anyway so it’s too late, you might as well let her stay.” The brunette folded her arms in defiance and Nicole bit her lip trying not to laugh at the exasperated look on the older Earp’s face._

_“Whatever, don’t blame me if she gets eaten on your wedding day.” Wynonna flung her arms up and stormed out, slamming the door. Nicole let out a snort at the unfortunate wording of the statement._

_“I hope I do.” She winked, not wasting any time pulling Waverly back into a kiss. The small girl blushed, but immediately removed her top again and blushed as Nicole slid on top of her, continuing where they had left off earlier. Tomorrow this woman would be her wife; Waverly knew she had never wanted anything more than to hear the words ‘I do’ in Nicole’s rough, deep, crackly voice as they held hands in front of her loved ones._

_“God I love you Nicole.” She breathed into her girl’s mouth as their tongues parted._

_“I love you more Waverly Earp.” Nicole almost moaned back, and those six simple words were enough to send the small girl over the edge._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic could be more aptly named 'poor Nicole' hahah because POOR NICOLE it just keeps getting worse!  
> Also, what is going on in the garden? Things are getting weird!
> 
> Fic recommendation of the week: "For the price of seven good cows" by coldmackerel - so it turns out I'm super into yeehaw Nicole at the moment - another mail order bride fic, but entirely different to before - the internal monologue of Waverly in this one is both hilarious and heartbreaking at times - PLEASE give it a go, you won't regret it, it's incredible!
> 
> Come meet me on social media if you feel like it :) @waverly_angel_earp on instagram or @charzpov on twitter :) feel free to leave your own theories, feedback, ideas and fic recommendations below, I love hearing them <3 x
> 
> p.s. for anyone who is here from RDR - I may or may not have started writing part two ;P


	4. Chapter 04

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part one of the Wayhaught wedding day.  
> Nicole and Wynonna make a huge breakthrough in the investigation.  
> A familiar face makes a re-appearance.  
> Robin has something to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I had to google do chicken's have saliva for this chapter.
> 
> Also I changed a lot of things whilst writing this chapter - aka I changed the entire idea about Valdez (I'll explain that in the AN, hear me out!) 
> 
> So I promise there will be more Waverly next chapter AND even some Wayhaught.
> 
> Next chapter is essentially what would be the 'mid season finale' if this was the show - aka it's going to be dramatic and a lot of things will be resolved. That's all I'm going to give away.
> 
> Thanks for 1k reads love you all :)

Gradually, those who had been evacuated returned to purgatory and the town began to settle into normalcy: everyone pretended nothing had happened, ignoring the fact there was no evidence of a forest fire and the fact that large chunks of the forest were covered in police tape. Just like normal, the people of Purgatory pretended nothing supernatural or suspicious had happened as they drove their cars to work at local shops or jobs in the big city, and those at the police station were left hiding all evidence. However, for a small group of people, nothing was normal; Purgatory felt like an entirely different place due to the lack presence of the nicest person in Purgatory and the man who’s very soul was entwined with the rugged, western town. As cars flitted by, people shuffled in and out of local shops moaning about the fact Shorty’s was closed and children hurried to school, for Wynonna, Nicole, Jeremy and Robin, the town seemed like a ghost town and the bustle of people a colourful blur in the background.

_Three weeks later…_

"Wynonna have you thought about Alice? In case we don’t get Waverly back; it's what she'd want, what _he'd_ want.” It was the first time she'd spoken outwardly about the possibility of not getting her back, and it caught Wynonna entirely off guard.

It had been a long three weeks, and Nicole wasn't sure she’d forgiven Wynonna, or if she ever could, but she had witnessed how sorry she was, how desperate she was to get back Waverly and it was one mistake - a stupid, selfish one - but still a mistake. And everyday Nicole was finding it harder and harder to stay angry at her.

“Of course I have. I just… now isn’t the time red.” She muttered as she kept her gaze out of the right window of Nicole’s squad car, flipping a small key around in her lap with a newfound urgency.

“We both know there’s never going to be a right time.” Nicole retorted, eyes locked on the road ahead, which was decidedly icy and unsafe due to its being a back road. “There’s something else, some other reason. Honestly I expected we’d already have her back by now Earp.” Her thumb tapped on the steering wheel, uncomfortable with the conversation, but knowing Waverly would want her to have it if she couldn’t.

“I just don’t know if I could do it. Obviously I always wanted to bring her home, but that was when I thought I’d have him and even if I didn’t have him I’d have… I’d have Waves… to help. I was never meant to be a mom Nicole, the poor kid is fucked, she’s better off with Gus anyway.”

Now it was Nicole who was caught off guard, she hadn’t anticipated such an honest answer so easily, but she expected it had something to do with the fact Wynonna was exhausted and more than likely a little hungover - they had spent all of last night searching for more addresses - so her defences were lowered. After the initial shock of the direct answer had worn off, Nicole managed to form an answer.

“Do you really think that?”

“What?”

“That you couldn’t be a mother?”

“Yeah. Not like I had the best example to follow.” Wynonna mumbled.

“I think you’ll make a great mother.” Nicole deadpanned.

“Don’t take the piss Haught, I’m not in the mood.” She growled back.

“I’m not.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Alice Michelle will love having an alcoholic mother who spends her days shooting monsters and runs away at the slightest sign of emotion. The kids from school will have a field day with the child of an insane mother and a father who disappeared off the face of the planet overnight.” The brunette snorted, rolling her eyes.

“You’re selling yourself short Wynonna. Sure you have more issues than most of us, but I’ve seen the way you are with Waverly, how you’d do anything for her, how you let her make her own mistakes, but are there for the fall out. That’s how I know you’ll be a good mum. I mean you’ll probably fuck up a lot, I’m not gonna lie to you Earp, but you’re not alone.” 

An only slightly uncomfortable silence descended on the car, neither of them used to this intimacy.

“Thanks Haught.” Wynonna muttered.

“You will have to get better at learning from your mistakes though.” Nicole teased, but they both knew exactly what she was referring too.

“How long until you finally let that go. I said I fucked up.” 

“You know I don’t have the answer to that.” The bitterness wasn’t lost from Nicole’s voice, making it obvious it would be a long time before she could move on from the myriad of mistakes which Wynonna had made, primarily loosing Waverly. 

Again, a silence descended on the car, before the older girl once again broke it.

“I like this by the way.” She pointed to the nape of the redhead’s neck. “I don’t think I said it at the time, but she’ll love it.” With a soft smile, she withdrew her hand and Nicole couldn’t help her own smile at the recognition, a part of her couldn’t help wanting Wynonna’s approval. However childish it was, she was the closest Waverly had to a parent. Her mind wandered to the moment Wynonna had found out about it…

_“Haught if you jump out on me I swear to god I will cut your dick off.” As she stumbled over a stray tree root, Wynonna cursed, flicking the torch back in an accusatory manner. “I traced the damn cruiser here, I know you’re here dipshit so quit your hiding and come out. I hate hide and seek.”_

_Nicole silently cursed herself for being stupid enough to take the cruiser instead of getting a bus. She didn’t have time to get up and leave though before Wynonna burst through the foliage, blinding her with a torch._

_“Jesus, put that thing off. You’re gonna blind me.” She threw her hands up to protect her eyes._

_“I knew you’d be here. What the hell are you doing, it’s minus 30 out here?!” The older Earp snapped, eyes finally scanning the surroundings. “Oh hell no, you are not staying out here. For fuck sake Haught, I thought you were smart, you’ll freeze your tits off!”_

_Awkwardly, Nicole shifted in the snow, slightly embarrassed that Wynonna had so easily figured out what she had planned, but deciding she needed to come across as confident if she had any chance of staying here._

_“I had to get out of the house.” Came her short reply._

_“You could have come to the homestead.” Nicole rolled her eyes and Wynonna knew that wasn’t an option. “Hell even the station would have been better!” She threw up her arms. “Pack this up, we’re leaving.” Wynonna reached down to pull out one of the pegs of Nicole’s thick army tent, which was buried in the snow. The redhead frantically grabbed her hand._

_“No! No, I’m staying here. I want to be here. You can go, I’m fine.”_

_The brunette stood up with wide eyes and let out a laugh of disbelief. “You’re actually serious? About staying? Out here?” She laughed._

_“Yes I am Wynonna, now fuck off and leave me alone.” Nicole growled, grabbing the bottle of rum she had and climbing into the tent. Much to her dismay, the other girl followed her, squeezing inside._

_“Fine. I’m staying too then.” She lay on her back, with folded arms staring at the ceiling, waiting for Nicole to relent._

_“I came here to get away from you.” She grumbled._

_“Bullshit. You could have gone to the station for that. Or a hotel. We both know why you’re here.” Wynonna nodded to the door and Nicole shut her eyes, sighing in frustration._

_“Alright fine. I can’t sleep in my bed because it smells of her fucking shampoo and I can’t spend another night on the couch, waiting for her to walk in the front door. I didn’t want to go to the station because all of the pictures of us are there and the only place I wanted to be was with her and this was the closest I could get okay? Happy now.” She growled at the girl next to her._

_“You know she’s not just going to walk out of there and down those stairs.” Wynonna replied, unfazed._

_“You don’t know that. And if she does, I’ll be here.” With a huff, Nicole rolled onto her side, so her back was to Wynonna. The older Earp’s eyes widened._

_“Shit Nicole, your neck! It’s bleeding, come on please lets just go home, you’ll get an infection. How have you even managed to-“ As she peeled back the hood of Nicole’s old grey hoodie she saw a plastic film stuck with blood to the back of the redhead’s neck. “Nicole, what-“ Wynonna had an idea what it was, but she was shocked still at the sight._

_Before she could peel back the film to look, Nicole shot around, sitting up in the tent with wide eyes. “Just go Wynonna.”_

_“Oh come on Nicole, don’t be such a baby, let me look. It needs cleaned anyway, so I’ll have to see at some point.”_

_“I can clean it myself.” Nicole snarled._

_“Just let me see. I want to see it, please?”_

_“Fine.” She was really not in the mood to fight with a pleading Earp, so she relented, turning her back to let Wynonna remove the film._

_“Shit.” Wynonna said through a breath as she scanned the tattoo on the back of the redhead’s neck. The thin outline of a shotgun tilted from the left to right and on the handle a tiny little wave was engraved. “Why the neck?” She finally asked without breaking her eyes away._

_“You’re gonna think it’s dumb.” Nicole mumbled._

_“Already think you are, so worth a shot.” Wynonna smirked, though Nicole couldn’t see as her back was turned._

_“When we kiss, or even just hug, she always, um that’s where she puts her hand. Her fingers always rub the back of my neck, when I’m nervous or when she is, it’s just kinda… I don’t know it just reminded me of her.” She shrugged, glad the older girl couldn’t see her blush - she’d blame the cold even if she could._

_“But you can’t even see it?” Wynonna mused with a raised brow._

_“That’s kinda the point.” Nicole muttered, glad Wynonna hadn't commented on the sappiness of the idea. “It’s like she’s always there, she’s always comforting me, even if I can’t see her. Don’t.” She warned, not wanting the girl to ruin the tattoo which she’d spent a while debating._

_“I’m not saying anything. Honestly I kinda expected it to be her name, or an angel, or even a blazing phoenix. Didn’t see a shotgun coming.” She laughed a little._

_“I thought about getting wings. I almost did, but I changed it last minute. I just… wasn’t sure how she would feel about… all of that… when she’s back.” The redhead bit her lip._

_“Understandable.” Wynonna nodded. “Anyway are you ready to quit brooding and let me take you home. Waverly would have an aneurism if she knew you were out here freezing to death because of her.” She slapped her shoulder._

_“Fine.” Nicole huffed, pulling her hood back up to protect the fresh ink from the Canadian wilderness, before scooting out the tent to pack it all up._

“You think?” Nicole replied.

“Yeah, plus for what it’s worth, I think it’s better than wings, more badass.” She winked and Nicole shook her head with a laugh. The tattoo had been an impulse decision about two weeks ago. She’d thought about getting one, or what she’d get, but she’d never actually expected to do it, until one morning she didn’t think, just called, and booked an appointment that day, and she definitely didn’t regret it. Whenever there was a lapse in hope now, she’d rub her own neck, tracing the ink which she knew was there even if she couldn’t see it and the act always gave her chills. 

“Thanks Earp. I hope she agrees.” They shared a smile, the mood feeling a little more upbeat now as Nicole rolled the cruiser into the parking lot of a huge office block.

“This better be worth it.” Wynonna mumbled as they walked towards the entrance, locking the door.

“It’s the last one on the list. If this isn’t it, we’re back to square one.” Nicole tried to hide her nerves as they pushed inside.

* * *

  
_“HAUGHT! You better be gone when I walk through this door and NOT in my baby sisters bed.”_

_“You’re standing in front of the only exit Wynonna…” Nicole scoffed, running her hand through the soft brown waves at the back of Waverly’s head, where the girl nuzzled into her chest sleepily._

_“Alright. I’m going downstairs. You have FIVE minutes to untangle yourself from whatever horrifyingly loud game of twister you two were playing last night.”_

_Simultaneously both Waverly and Nicole let out a little snort._

_“Honestly I think she tries really hard to be oblivious sometimes.” Nicole smirked._

_“Oh she definitely does.” Waverly leant up to plant a chaste kiss on her lips. “But you definitely should ‘untangle yourself,’" she winked. “Because, despite everything, Wynonna is a woman of her word and I would very much like you alive at our wedding.”_

_“One step ahead of you Waves.” The redhead grinned slipping on her jeans. With a quick flourish she leant down and kissed her cheek, pulling on her baseball cap and half sprinting out of the door. “See you down the aisle baby.” She beamed as she pulled the door shut._

_Unable to hide her beaming, goofy smile, Waverly pulled on her silk robe and slipped downstairs to where her sister was… making breakfast?_

_“Are you… is that… are you cooking?” Her jaw fell open at the sight of her sister in a remarkably burned and stained apron and… humming to herself?… as she flipped something in a pan._

_“Yup, sure am, look at me go! I made pancakes." Wynonna waved her hands forwards in a 'ta-da' style motion with proud eyes. "Natural talent I guess.” The older Earp grinned, turning around and sliding a plate across the table to where Waverly had taken a seat. Okay, maybe it wasn’t natural talent as the pancakes were more blackened than golden and the strawberries looked like they’d been ripped apart rather than delicately cut, but the sentiment wasn’t lost on Waverly. Every time she saw this side of Wynonna, the one where she would make some small gesture or reveal a little weakness, Waverly couldn’t help but feel it was the greatest privilege in the world, to be granted permission to see it._

_“Sure is.” She grinned back, taking a bite and putting on her best poker face as she shoved half of it around her plate._

_“You’re weirdly quiet today… I kinda thought you’d be insufferable this morning.” Wynonna winked, shoving an entire pancake on her fork and eating half of it in one bite._

_“Just nervous I guess.” Waverly mumbled back._

_“Why? You do want to marry her right?” The young Earp wasn’t sure she’d ever seen her sister look so surprised over anything as she was at the idea Waverly might not want to marry Nicole; the sight actually made her let out a breathy laugh._

_“Yes of course I do.” She shook her head with another laugh. “It’s not that, it’s definitely not that.” With a tender smile she bit her lip, remembering exactly how much she wanted to marry Nicole. “I just can’t help but feel that something is going to go wrong like it always does, that something is off.” She worried her lip now with a slight tremble. “I mean you’re making pancakes!” She forced a nervous laugh at her futile joke._

_“Well I was just trying to be a good older sister but-“ Wynonna teased back, but seeing the worry on her sisters face, softened and reached out a hand. “Hey, Waves, nothing is going to go wrong okay? The curse is long gone, half of Purgatory PD is outside and you should see the way Doc's got the place done up. Honestly I’m not sure I’ve ever been so turned on by anything than I was seeing him lugging chairs around and pinning up dainty bunting along the barn.” She snorted._

_“Can I see?” Waverly perked up a bit, finally taking a bite from her pancake._

_“Um absolutely not! I want it to be a surprise! Plus…” Wynonna shoved the last of her pancake in her mouth, mumbling through words. “We’ve got a wedding to get dressed up for.” She poked Waverly in the rib getting a little squeal as they pulled away to go upstairs and get changed._

* * *

“Well shit.” Wynonna mused with wide eyes as she took in the ‘office block’ they’d just walked into. Needless to say it wasn’t what either of them had been expecting. Where there should be a reception area, instead there was a large round table which was empty, save for a few scattered papers. Around the outskirts of the barren grey room, a multitude of doors stood with no labels or indication as to what was behind them. The metallic front door they’d passed through clinked shut behind them and instinctively they made their way towards the back of the room which had a mind map scattered with pins and lines among it. The room was far smaller than it seemed from the outside, it was as though the shell of a bigger building had been placed over a small, prison like room.

With only slightly shaky hands, Nicole ran her fingers along the pictures. She was there, unconscious at the homestead, with a line connecting her to Waverly and Bulshar. She might have been surprised about it a few months back, but she’d been forced to come to terms with her frustratingly uncontrollable connection with Bulshar himself. What she hadn’t expected though, was one of the other pictures next to her own, with a surprising connection.

“Earp look.” She pointed and traced along the line as Wynonna joined her.

“Robin? Does that mean he’s related to Bulshar?” The older Earp’s eyes were wide in a mixture of confusion and anger.

“No not necessarily, look-“ Nicole hurriedly tried to calm her. “I’m connected to Bulshar too and I think we both know why.” She winced at her own words, but it seemed to work as Wynonna softened slightly. 

“Hmmm. For his sake I hope it was out of his hands too.” She scowled at Nicole who shook her head with a little laugh. 

Nicole let her eyes remain on the board a little longer as Wynonna looked around the room aggressively. Not many of the connections other than Robin surprised her, although she did have to try really hard to resist the urge to rip down Waverly’s connection to Bobo. 

“Do you think this is a trap?” Wynonna mused, seemingly unbothered if she thought it was one, as she slowed her pace to scan the documents on the table.

“Hmm?” Nicole hummed. “Why?”

“Well it just seems a little too easy that we’ve just somehow walked into what appears to be some weird stalkers lair.” She shrugged and Nicole rolled her eyes trying not to laugh at the dramatic wording of the statement. 

“Maybe, or maybe she just wanted us to find it?”

“You’re turning into Waverly, you’re way too optimistic. Sometimes you’ve just gotta think the worst in people Haught, trust me, it keeps you alert.” The girl gave a playful wink and Nicole groaned, ignoring her entirely.

“Anyway, what now? I kinda expected her to be here, how do we find her?” Wynonna stopped, turning to face Nicole now with frustration rising, but before the redhead could answer, the door to their left opened and a woman with long curled brunette hair and a vibrant red fitted suit stepped in, sword at her hip.

“You already have.” She smiled at them, but her look was more intimidating than her smile and Nicole instinctively dropped her hand to the gun on her hip and Wynonna to her sword, but slightly more subtly.

“And I thought I was good at entrances.” Wynonna smirked, before her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “You’re… you… I mean… what the fuck?!"

“Careful Earp, your face will stay liked that.” Valdez smirked back, walking over and extending her hand. “Agent Valdez.” She confirmed with confidence and both of them faltered, before Nicole rolled her eyes and stuck out her own hand to shake the woman’s. 

“Sheriff Haught.” She nodded with her firm shake.

“I know.” Valdez replied with a smile which was so subtly smug, it could have been easily missed. Nicole didn’t miss it though, she squinted her eyes with suspicion, but kept quiet.

“Valdez? You’re Kevin!” Wynonna shook her head in disbelief.

“Kevin?” Nicole raised a brow in confusion. “Oh wait! Woah, that’s Kevin?” She gestured to the attractive woman in front of her. 

“Yeah! I mean she didn’t look like that…” The brunette waved her hands around at the far sexier and bold attire the woman was now wearing. “But yeah, it’s definitely her.” Her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head. 

When it became clear, Wynonna wasn’t going to shake her hand, Valdez returned it to her side and continued. “I’m standing right here.” She rolled her eyes at the older Earp. "It took you longer than expected to find me, I hope we’re not too late.”

“Yeah well we’re kinda one team member down.” Wynonna snapped. “And she’s _kinda_ the only one who has any idea what we’re doing soooo.” She waved her hands around as if it was obvious. 

“I also know that.” Valdez paused and out of the corner of her eye, Wynonna saw Nicole’s hands ball up and her thumbs rub against the fists. “Which is why I invited you here.”

“ _Wellllll_ invited is a strong word.” Nicole titled her head.

“I invited you, it’s not my fault it took you a month to find my place.”

“Your place?” Wynonna raised a brow. “Didn’t think to mention this when you were sitting in my kitchen eating pickles?” 

“Pickles?” Nicole questioned, but was promptly ignored.

“My office. Since BBD disbanded I’ve been working for my own agency. Here it is.” Valdez smiled proudly and began to circle the room as the two stood in the middle with disbelief on their face.

“Talking of…” Nicole added. “You’re not the Valdez in the photo on the BBD database.” She squinted her eyes as the mysterious brunette smiled proudly.

“I’m not an idiot Nicole. You can’t disappear off the face of the earth if your photo belongs to the government.” When she saw the confusion on their faces, she shook her head and sighed, continuing, “After coming to visit Wynonna, BBD decided they wanted me gone. Even without the organisation, they eradicated those they thought were a threat, so I had to disappear, but I used the name Valdez so you would be able to find me when they didn’t. Oh and I used a different photo.” She shrugged.

“Alright, okay, now we’ve established that you invited us here, care to tell us why you did that? And it better be a damn good reason given we’ve wasted a month to find this-…” the door to the left opened, revealing a plush red and leather clad office with dark oak furniture, "surprisingly well decorated, warehouse.” Wynonna growled.

“Have a seat.”

Just as Wynonna was about to protest that she’d rather stand, Nicole gave her a warning look and essentially yanked her down into the chair next to her, wanting to get this finished as quickly as possible. 

“You’re the guardian.” Valdez leant back in her chair, eyes locked on Wynonna’s as Nicole sat alert upright next to her.

“Depends whose asking?”

“You’re wearing the sword.” Valdez moved froward, leaning on her forearms on the desk as she leant towards Wynonna with a smile.

“Okay well that’s a very good point.” Wynonna nodded and wet her lips. “What is it to you?”

Valdez stood up and unsheathed her sword, as Nicole’s grip tightened on her gun and Wynonna pushed her chair back quickly, neither of them sure what exactly was unravelling before them.

“Julien wasn’t the only guardian.” Valdez smirked.

“Juan Carlo.” Wynonna breathed out in disbelief after a pause. “You’re his replacement?” She raised a brow and Valdez nodded, sitting back down, with hands clasped around each other.

“I’m his replacement.” Valdez confirmed.

“Great, this is really interesting and I’d love to stay and chat, but we’re kind of in the middle of something important.” Nicole removed her hand from her gun, getting impatient. “So can you help us or not?”

“I already have.” Valdez smiled, but before either of them could argue, she continued. “When I came to you as Kevin, I told you what would happen if she entered the garden right?”

“What is the deal with Kevin?” Nicole squinted, throwing her hands up in frustration, but when she saw Wynonna give her a nervous side glance, she realised it was just another thing she hadn’t felt the need to include the redhead in.

“Long story. Remember I told you about the random woman who showed up and said Waverly would have to go to the garden?” Nicole nodded. “Well yeah she also kinda said if she did, that she would turn to stone and so I definitely didn’t -“ Wynonna tried to continue rambling, hoping Nicole might miss the minor detail about stone. 

“She’d turn to stone! What the fuck Wynonna, why have you never told me this!” Nicole hissed angrily, leaning into Wynonna.

“Honestly I forgot about that part until now, there’s a lot to-“

“There is no way in hell you casually forgot that Waverly would turn to stone if she entered the garden, I’m not an idiot Earp.” Nicole snapped, her eyes only slightly portraying sadness, blanketed by sheer rage.

“Okay fine I didn’t forget, but I didn’t think it would actually happen so I didn’t want to worry you!”

“You didn’t want to… are you fucking kidding me? Waverly is-“

They were interrupted by a loud cough as Valdez cleared her throat.

“She’s not stone.”

“What?” Both of the girls snapped their heads away from each other’s angry glare and back to the smug brunette opposite.

“She’s not stone.” The woman confirmed. “The balance has been interrupted.”

"The balance?" Nicole furrowed her brow.

"She is the _only_ chosen one." The woman raised a brow and Nicole and Wynonna shared a confused look before it clicked. Doc had interrupted the balance of the garden when he entered and therefore Waverly couldn't take her place whilst he was there.

“So if she’s not stone, then what’s in the garden?” Wynonna swallowed with genuine concern. 

“No way of knowing.” Valdez shrugged. “Only she knows.”

“And Doc.” Nicole mumbled, still angry that Wynonna would ever let him go into the garden after Waverly.

“If that’s the case and he’s still, well a vampire…” Valdez nodded gravely as both girls silently wondered how there was any way for her to know that, but let is slide as there were more important things to contend with. “Then it’s not good news for either of them.”

“Not good news?!” Nicole sat bolt upright in the chair now. “What does that mean?” Her hands squeezed the side of the chair as her mind raced through all of the worst case scenarios, unable to decide what the worst one of them all was.

“Well, I’m sure you’re both smart enough to figure out that the garden is supposed to be a place for the ‘good’ to go.” She put that word in air quotes, to emphasise her disproval of the matter. “And Vampires are, well, they’re the opposite of that.”

“Alright we get it, garden is good, Doc is bad, what’s the point.” Wynonna snapped.

“Everything is heightened… by the garden.” Valdez clarified. “The garden will push back against him, ultimately he wouldn’t be able to survive it more than a few days… and in the process, it is likely his cravings will intensify.” She gave a solemn smile. That explained why there was still a permanent dark cloud over purgatory, Wynonna thought with a sigh, Waverly hadn't managed to restore the balance after all, Doc had interrupted it. It still didn't explain why he'd gone in after her, had he known that? Unless Nicole had been right.

“Oh god. Oh god. Shit.” Nicole stood up and walked behind Wynonna’s chair, trying to not have a panic attack again in front of the woman they’d only just met. “God. Come on.” She muttered so quietly she was certain only she wold be able to hear it as she pressed her head into he hands muffling everything, trying to collect herself. Finally she lifted her head. “His cravings for angel blood.” She gave Wynonna a death glare.

“Well it’s fine, because he’s not a vampire anymore.” Wynonna replied, seriously. Valdez’s eyebrow lifted and she tilted her head in surprise.

“You don’t know that Wynonna.” Nicole crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Well I don’t _not_ know it.” Wynonna smiled a little.

“Can you take it seriously. This… this is serious Wynonna!” Nicole gestured around the room. 

“I am! I don’t think he’s a vampire, because I think you’re right… about him…” They both looked at Valdez and then back at each other with a nervous glance.

“We’ll be right back, one second.” Nicole grabbed Wynonna’s arm and pulled her up from the chair and straight out of the warehouse.

“What do you mean I’m right.” She said the second the door closed behind them.

“About the snake. I’ve been thinking about it and it makes sense. There was this look he gave me, right after Waverly… disappeared.” She shuffled her feet a little. 

“Keep going.” Nicole demanded.

“He was next to me, after I tried to get through the barrier; there was a loud noise and then it was like one second he was Doc and the next he was distant. He had this look in his eyes, like he knew what he had to do, like he finally had a purpose. I don’t know, but I’ve never seen him so set on anything ever. Maybe it was just that he genuinely wanted to protect Waverly, but it looked more like he knew he was destined for something.”

“Okay now who’s making shit up?” Nicole cocked an eyebrow.

“Fuck off, I’m trying to help you here!” Wynonna shoved the redhead, pushing her shoulder.

“Alright, okay well we’ll talk about this more later, she’s waiting for us, come on.” Nicole grabbed the brunette’s hand and yanked her round the corner and they both fixed themselves before opening the office door again. 

Instantly Nicole gave a confident, knowing smile as she squinted her eyes and sank into the chair opposite the desk once again. Wynonna followed suit, but not without making a classic comment, much to Nicole’s frustration.

“Girl issues.” She winked at Valdez and looked at Nicole with an apologetic pout as the redhead scowled back. 

Shaking off her annoyance, Nicole turned back to face the mysterious brunette opposite. “So now we’ve established the lack of safety in the garden.” She practically spat the words out in her frustration, unable to believe that this woman had waited for them to find her when all the while, Waverly had been stuck in god-knows where with a potentially fatal vampire that there was no way she’d be able to overpower. “Any idea how we’re supposed to get her back?”

“Do you have it?” The brunette opposite leant back in her chair, linking her hands on the desk in front of her.

“Have what?” Nicole huffed, increasingly frustrated by the lack of answers to any of their questions. She was beginning to wonder if this woman even knew how to get Waverly back or if they were wasting their time. The only thing which kept her there was the information about Doc in the garden which she’d shared.

“The ring.” 

The word sent a chill down Nicole’s spine and she clenched her jaw, tilting up her chin defensively. “No.” She lied, the reality was that since that night in the bed for the first time, she hadn’t let the ring out of her sight. Once it had felt like a painful reminder, now it felt like a reminder to have hope and to hold onto what they had and the moment they’d shared over that ring. Now, it felt like it was glaringly obvious, as though the pocket in her jacket had turned transparent and Valdez could see right through her lies - it was not a feeling she was used to. 

“Well where is it?” Valdez leant towards her and squinted her eyes.

“I have it. Just not here.” She lied again, trying not to give any indication of just how close the ring was, as she leant forwards to meet Valdez’s glare.

“I need it.”

“No.” Nicole stated matter of fact and Wynonna turned to her with pleading eyes. 

“Nicole -.”

“No.” The redhead cut her off again.

“What if-“

“The ring is mine Wynonna, Waverly gave it to me. I’m not giving it to her.” Nicole growled. 

“What if-“

“She gave it to me Wynonna.” Nicole stated.

“Yeah but what if it’s -“

“She _gave_ it to me.” She raised her brows around the word this time, really emphasising to Wynonna who seemed to have no idea what was being implied.

“Yeah, you said, but -… oh… oh shit!” Wynonna’s eyes widened now and her mouth gaped. “She… she did that? Waverly Earp? So are you two like?” She waved her hands around as if it helped with her point. “Shit, I never expected Waverly to be the one to, you know… pop the question.” With a smile now she slapped Nicole’s shoulder. “Nice one Haught!”

Rolling her eyes, Nicole shook her head. “No I didn’t… I mean, we didn’t get a chance to... and I want it to be special. Plus we need to discuss living together and everything, but still. She wanted to, and she... she gave me the ring, so I’m not about to just give it away.” 

Whilst Wynonna scowled at her, clearly silently fuming at her - incorrect - assumption Nicole had let her little sister down, but before she could make comment, Valdez rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.

“You’re not _giving_ anything away red.” She leant back. “I would be borrowing it. Until the gate to the garden is open and your angel is back home safely.” Resting her head back against one of her arms snaked around her head she smirked at them.

Incredulously, Nicole looked to Wynonna in desperation.

“Yeah, we’re gonna need more than that Wonder Woman.” Wynonna rose up from slumping and leant her forearms on the desk with her head tilted and eyes squinting. 

“If you want Waverly back you’re going to have to trust me.” 

“No.” Nicole slammed her fist into the table. “No you’re going to answer our question for once. I’m the Sheriff and if you don’t willingly answer us, I’m going to arrest you and then you’ll have to answer our questions.” She pushed up to standing, so she was towering over the desk and the two brunette’s below.

“Nicole.” Wynonna reached up to grab her arm and sit her back down, but the redhead snatched her hand away.

“No. I’m sick of unanswered questions. We’ve spent weeks trying to find you, the least you can do is answer our questions. If you know how to get Waverly back you better tell us or I’m not kidding, I will arrest you.” One hand rested on her belt as the other pressed into the hardwood table. Wynonna sucked in a deep breath in anticipation, but said nothing, letting Nicole take the moment.

“What will you arrest me for? I haven’t done anything?” Valdez smiled.

“Withholding information for an ongoing investigation. Obstruction. Perverting the course of justice. I can think of many more.” Nicole stated without a beat and Wynonna raised a brow, impressed.

Valdez rose to remain eye level with the redhead.

“There is no ongoing investigation.” She smiled. “You never opened one.”

“That can be arranged.” Nicole maintained her position. 

“To get Waverly out you need both.“

“Both?” Wynonna interrupted, and in response, Valdez slipped open the drawer to her left and removed a small almost identical ring to the one in Nicole’s pocket from the wooden drawer, placing it on the table slightly tentatively. 

None of them moved as they all stared at the ring as if it was going to explode.

‘You need _both_.” Valdez continued. “And both guardians.” She paused. “And to create a certain meteorological event.” 

“So helpful.” Nicole rolled her eyes in frustration. 

“I can’t tell you more than you already know. You already knew there was two guardians and now you know about the other ring. I can’t tell you more, you need to figure it out.” 

“What? So you called us here to tell us you couldn’t help?” Wynonna scowled.

“No. I called you here to show you the path. When you figure it out, you’re to come back to me and then I can help.”

Just as Wynonna was about to open her mouth and protest, she realised something and snapped it shut. “Juan Carlos.” She mumbled, shaking her head.

“What?” Nicole sighed, looking over to her friend.

“Juan Carlos. His curse. He can’t tell you what you need to do, only help.” She looked back at Valdez. “That’s why you - Kevin - wouldn’t tell us how to get Bulshar’s arm? It’s why you didn’t give me an alternative to Waverly ending up in the garden and it’s why you won’t tell us how to get her back… because you can’t.” She stated. “Woah I am getting good at this shit!” She clicked her fingers and nodded, proudly holding her hand out for Nicole to fist bump, but the redhead batted it away with a scowl.

“So we still don’t know how to get her back.” The redhead growled.

“Nope, but I have an idea who might!” Wynonna grabbed Nicole’s arm and hastily yanked her to her feet, dragging her to the doorway.

“Later Captain Marvel!” Wynonna called over her shoulder.

“Isn’t she blon-“ Nicole began.

“Shut up.” Wynonna snapped and Nicole just rolled her lips and nodded, as they jumped into the car.

* * *

_One hour later._

“Jett! Chetri! Nicole’s office NOW!” Wynonna snapped her fingers as she ran through the lab like a bull in a china store, knocking a few folders flying and a plastic tube of undisclosed liquid toppling into the trash.

“Dammit! Wynonna!” Jeremy moaned, extracting the jar dripping with sticky liquid. Quickly though, he saw the older Earp poke her head back round the doorframe and giving him a death glare.

“Yep, nope, not a problem, I will collect some more chicken saliva later, yup coming right now. On my way!” He half threw the tub onto the desk and clattered out after her, Robin close on his heels. 

Once they were all settled in the office, Nicole sat upright behind her desk, Wynonna leaning against the bookcase behind her, Robin slouched slightly forwards in the chair opposite and Jer stood fiddling with his hands next to the closed door, Wynonna began to speak.

“So we found Valdez.” She stated as her voice went slightly upwards at the end, as though it was a question.

“You did?” Robin clapped Jeremy on the back with a grin. 

“Yes! Nice one!” Jeremy beamed.

“Sooo turns out she can’t help us with anything.” Wynonna tilted her head to the side with a little grimace.

“Oh.” The boys mumbled simultaneously.

“But.” Nicole stepped in, shaking her head at Wynonna only giving half of the story. “She said we needed to open the garden at a certain meteorological event.” 

“So put your nerdy little brains together and figure out what she meant, thanks.” Wynonna not so gently banged their heads together with a grin. 

“What makes you think we know?” Robin cocked a brow.

“Well because he’s practically Einstein and you’re a weird hippy with your astrology and tree hugging.” She gestured wildly.

Rolling her eyes, Nicole added on, “what she means is you both know more about this than us.” The redhead smiled tenderly. “Oh and also I’m pretty sure she said ‘create a meteorological event’ rather than just to do it during one.”

“Create?” Jeremy rubbed his temples. “How the hell?”

“That’s your job Professor X.” Wynonna wiggled her brows.

“What is with you and your super hero references today?” The Sheriff squinted at her.

“I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights Haught, and _someone_ has a big collection of them at the homestead.” 

“Good point.” Nicole looked back to the desk. 

“You two seem, dare I say it, better?” Hastily, Robin asked. 

“We’re getting there.” Nicole nodded, not looking away from the computer which Jeremy was rapidly typing away on.

“Haught loved me too much to stay away.” Wynonna grinned, victorious.

“Don’t push it Earp.” Finally Nicole looked away to make eye contact and show how serious she was.

“Yup, not pushing it.” Wynonna nodded, well aware of the seriousness of the threat.

“I’m more than a little out of my depth here and you three staring over my shoulder isn’t helping.” Jeremy grumbled, stilling his typing.

“Um actually I think I might have an idea.” Robin stood up scratching his neck.

“Yes?” Wynonna stood up to face him.

“So I’ve been having these dreams…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it was only after I'd written this and I was re-watching season 3 for inspiration that I spontaneously had the idea that Kevin might have been Valdez. She came at a suspicious time (just as Julien showed up), wouldn't tell them anything (much like Juan Carlos) and could only suggest things. Also she seemed a lot more invested in what they were doing and it seemed to me like she was trying to figure out how the garden worked, so it got me thinking she might have more to do with the garden than she was letting on - aka maybe being the other guardian. There's two guardians and right now we've only seen Wynonna, so who is the other now Juan Carlos is dead? Feel free to leave your own thoughts below and ideas and what u think of this, I always love reading them!
> 
> If you want me to explain any of my other theories, I might make a penultimate chapter thing once this is all finished and explain my reasoning behind the decisions I made in this fic :) at the end though. 
> 
> Fic recommendation of the week: One_Eighty by sensitive_pigeon - if you haven't read it why not? IT'S SO WELL WRITTEN I'M IN AWE CAN I PLEASE BE THAT TALENTED THANK YOU. 
> 
> As per usual feel free to come chat with me on social media :) the more Earper friends I have the better haha <3 @waverly_angel_earp on instagram or @charzpov on twitter :) love ya x


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly and Nicole's wedding...  
> The gang finally figure out how to get Waverly out the garden - if it works...  
> Waverly makes the biggest decision of her life...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I definitely took some creative liberties on the actual event of opening the garden, but the theory is engrained there somehow lol
> 
> This is... a rollercoaster sooo be prepared.

_  
Waverly squeezed Wynonna’s hand, hard, trying to still her shaking as they stood in the living room of the homestead, behind the door._

_“Waves, breathe babygirl. You look gorgeous. The only thing that could go wrong is that Haught passes out because she’s so turned on.” Wynonna smirked and bumped her shoulder into her sisters as they listened to the gentle music coming from Doc’s old speaker outside._

_“Not funny Wynonna.” Waverly whined, letting go of her sisters hand to grab a huge bunch of wildflowers mixed with sunflowers as Wynonna locked their arms together._

_“I’m serious, try not to stress so much. I know it’s in your nature you little worrywart,” Wynonna rolled her eyes, “but nothing is going to go wrong, we’ve made sure of it.” She rubbed her free hand over Waverly’s toned bicep to try and ground and calm her. “How much do you bet Haught is freaking out right now? I kinda wish I could have given HER away, just to see that woman stressed. I mean she always has her shit together.”_

_Finally, Waverly laughed and shook her head. “No she just has her ‘shit together’ when she’s at work.” She smiled and her eyes glazed over a little as she thought about all of Nicole’s nervous quirks at home. Her heart swelled at the thought of her girl on the other side of the door._

_“What? You mean she’s not perfect?” Wynonna feigned surprise, opening her mouth in shock and getting a glare from Waverly._

_“No one is perfect Wynonna.” The small girl teased with a knowing look as her older sister rolled her eyes._

_“God, you two were made for each other… Oh and that statement doesn’t hold as much weight when it's coming from you.” Wynonna shook her head with a laugh._

_Before Waverly could reply, Chrissy walked round the corner, holding Alice Michelle’s hand, both dressed in baby blue long a-line dresses. Chrissy had her hair pinned gently in a half up, half down braid and Alice’s was in a little bun so she couldn’t mess it up with her fidgeting. Waverly felt her shoulders drop as her longest friend stood in front of her, momentarily dropping the small hand to place a vibrant yellow and pink flower crown on her head with a grin._

_“You look beautiful Waves.” She hugged her tightly. “Don’t cry or you’ll make me cry.” Chrissy teased, stepping back and reaching for the small girls hand again._

_Waverly blushed and thanked her friend, taking the bouquet in one hand and crouching down to stroke her nieces cheek._

_“Soo pwetty aunty Waverrry.” Alice giggled, pulling at the flower crown. Waverly smiled and reached up to extract her hands before she actually pulled one of the flowers off._

_“I love your dress!” She replied, smoothing out the fabric with a gentle hand and Alice grinned, spinning around to show off the flowing skirt._

_“Shit.” Wynonna mumbled turning away and pressing her hands into her face so she wouldn’t cry. She only ever cried over family and the sight of the two most important people in her life giggling and smiling happily on the floor was a little overwhelming right now._

_“Right, we’ve gotta go!” The tall girl hurried as she heard the instrumental start to Etta James "At Last", come through the speaker. She had teased them mercilessly for their choice in song, but the couple had been adamant that it fit well and that it was sexy. "Quick baby, you take Chrissy’s hand and follow us okay?” Wynonna stroked her daughters head, guiding her towards the smiling blonde behind her with a nod._

_“Ready babygirl?” She locked her arm around Waverly’s again as the small brunette wrapped both shaking hands around the floral arrangement with a nod._

_“Yeah let’s go.” They walked forwards and Wynonna opened the wooden door, revealing to Waverly what they had all worked to set up outside._

_Everything seemed to stand still as she quickly glanced around, noticing the rows of wooden chairs facing towards the archway at the front of the lot which was draped in greenery and little fairy lights sparkling in the morning sun. She didn’t have time to take in the greenery which Doc had draped all over the barns and fences, or the bunting which connected the lights, or even the delicate petals scattered all over the dusty floor, because she locked eyes with the gorgeous redhead who had turned around to face her now and she couldn’t look anywhere else._

_They’d decided that Nicole would wear her uniform for the day and Waverly had never been more thrilled with any decision ever. The redhead had tight black dress pants curving around her toned thighs a light blue shirt was tucked in neatly adorned with a black tie snaking between her breasts. Her hair was in the short bob which was Waverly’s favourite and it was pinned half up, half down, to make her face and sharp jawline visible. She had on smart dress shoes instead of her usual boots alongside a shiny new Sheriff’s badge over her breast pocket. Waverly swallowed hard as she saw Nicole’s eyes soften and her shoulders drop at the sight of her fiancé in the bohemian, lacy dress she had chosen._

_Only when she was next to the love of her life, did their eyes finally part as she handed the bouquet to Wynonna who scoffed and shoved it towards Alice, taking her seat in the front row. Nicole wet her lips, took Waverly’s hands in her own and leant down to whisper in her ear._

_“You look incredible baby.” Waverly resisted the urge to kiss her and blushed at the compliment._

_“So do you.” She let her eyes wander, now face to face with the sexy redhead, her lips turning into a smile._

_Behind Nicole she caught her best friend watching on with loving eyes and beamed at him, before quickly looking out and seeing Gus, Nedley and Robin in the front row. Behind them sat Mercedes and a few of Waverly’s high school friends, then some of Nicole’s friends from the academy who she’d met a couple of times. Then… Willa was there. It didn’t make any sense, she was just sat there among the small crowd of people as if it was completely normal. Waverly squinted her eyes as if she was seeing things, but was brought back to the moment as Nicole squeezed her hands and Doc cleared his throat._

_The ceremony continued with everything going to plan and Doc very dramatically recounted the proceedings, before asking if there were any objections._

_Nicole gave a reassuring wink to Waverly who smiled back as they waited, none of them actually expecting anyone to come forward, before someone burst out of the barn and called out._

_“I object!”_

_“What the hell.” Nicole growled and turned to see what was going on._

_Champ hardy was bolting towards them in a half done-up suit and his perfect slicked back hair. Waverly panicked and froze in shock._

_“What the shit is going on?” She mumbled, looking back to find Willa still sitting there as if she wasn’t very much shot and dead._

* * *

_Purgatory PD…_

“So you’re saying you’re having recurring dreams about being stuck in the forest and every time you try to leave the forest rearranges itself?” Nicole folded her arms across her chest and raised a brow.

“And you didn’t think to mention this before now?” Wynonna mirrored her movements.

Robin swallowed at the sight of the two angry and frankly quite terrifying women in front of him.

“Umm yeah?” He answered.

“Oh my god.” Nicole’s eyes widened. “Oh my god.”

“Are you uhh having a stroke Haught? Spit it out.” The brunette nodded her head.

“Back at the office, the notice board, there was a uhh.” She looked towards Robin with an apologetic look. “There was a connection, between you and Bulshar.”

The young officer’s eyes widened before he sighed. “I wish I could say I was surprised, but I figured something might be off with all the dreams.”

“What does it mean?” Jeremy shook his head in disbelief. 

“No idea.” Wynonna shrugged. 

“Robin, when you came back, to Purgatory, you were a park ranger, right?” Nicole asked. 

“Yeah a park ranger who hated the cold.” Jeremy grinned with a small laugh.

“Why did you take the job?” The redhead urged.

“Uhh it was the first one available?” Robin squinted at her.

“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”

“What are you getting at Haught, come on!” Wynonna huffed. 

“Well its the same as me, it wasn’t a coincidence that a job as a deputy opened up here just as I started looking, and it probably wasn’t for you either.”

“You didn’t survive some weird murder cult too did you?” Wynonna tilted her head, earning her a slap on the arm from Nicole standing next to her.

“If I did I don’t remember it…” Robin trailed off. 

“I don’t think it’s that.” Nicole shook her head and they all fell into silent thought.

“Umm, I think it’s my dad.” Finally, the taller boy spoke up.

“You lot really like your cliffhangers.” Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Go on.” She gestured for him to keep talking.

“Well ever since Bulshar came back my dad has been sick. Sick to the extent that I had to leave the city and come back to Purgatory kind of sick.” 

“So you think _he’s_ connected to Bulshar?” The older Earp questioned.

“I don’t know, that uh, that seems kinda crazy right?” Robin scratched his neck. Even though he’d had weeks to consider this there was nothing that could prepare someone for the possibility their father was working for - or even just connected to - an evil demon.

“Have you met me?” Wynonna scoffed.

“Right.” Robin added, having no idea what to say.

Nicole caught on to the situation and decided to offer her opinion.

“Well I mean it isn’t totally crazy. Your family was one of the original families right?” She questioned, but Wynonna interrupted by throwing her hand up for a high five.

“OG’s!” She grinned and the confused boy just raised his hand to connect with hers. Nicole scowled at her and continued.

“And last Christmas you -”

“Gave me your heart? Aww that’s really sweet Nicole, but you’re taken.” Wynonna interrupted again and Nicole huffed ignoring her.

“You were taken along with the other families.” She paused.

“OOH and the BGD!” Jeremy added, waving his finger around and opening his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the older Earp.

“Big giant dong?” She mused. “OH MY GOD!” Everyone dropped their anger to look at her with expectant faces. “Waverly was right, it IS about Bulshar’s wang!” She snapped her fingers with a triumphant grunt.

“Big gay dinner.” Nicole corrected, with squinted eyes at the fact they’d all just gotten their hopes up. If looks could kill right now, the entire office would probably have imploded.

“Yeah, right, with the potato licking and the-”

“YOU LICKED A POTATO?!” Wynonna yelled, snorting in laughter. 

“For god sake Wynonna can you stop interrupting!” The redhead growled, frustratedly sitting down in the chair opposite her desk.

“Sorry, but you’re all being super weird and intense and - oh my god!” She yelled again, but this time none of them flinched, expecting some inappropriate comment. “OH SHIT! Move outta the way Walter White.” She hip bumped Jeremy away from the computer to make her way in front of the screen excitedly. Usually Nicole would have called her out for the irony in her choice of reference, but she felt they’d had enough interrupting one another for the day, so she shook her head and remained silent, waiting for this huge revelation to be revealed to her.

“I don’t think your dad’s your dad.”

“Wynonna!” Nicole hissed at her lack of sensitivity.

“Oh right, yeah I’m sorry to inform you I don’t think your dad is your dad.”

“Seriously?” Nicole raised a brow. If anyone should understand the weight of that accusation it was Wynonna after everything they’d gone through with Waverly’s father.

“Look I’m sorry, I am, but we don’t have time to ease into this.”

“Wynonna of course he’s my dad, I’ve known him all my life, my mum remembered birthing me. He’s my dad, sorry but in this case you’re wrong.” Robin clarified with as much confidence as his shaky voice could convey.

“Bulshar is using you Robin. He took you from your parents and gave you to someone who he knew he could control. It’s the same reason he didn’t kill you when he kidnapped you. He needs you alive to take over.”

“He didn’t kill me because you got there in time!” Robin stood up, raising his voice in anger.

“No. He could have left the machine running, he turned it off for a reason. He was trying to make us think he would kill you. If you were on the inside of the operation you could report to him everything we were doing.”

“What the hell!” Nicole snapped, jumping up from the chair. She scanned between Robin and Wynonna trying to figure out who to believe. Obviously it was incredibly hard to believe the sweet, placid, gentle, fun loving, quirky jock Robin Jett could possibly ever be a double agent for Bulshar and Wynonna was often very quick to jump to conclusions with no consideration for the trail of destruction left. But at the same time, a part of her couldn’t shake all of the signs which connected him to Bulshar, and she definitely didn’t have another explanation for it, so she just stood there in silent shock.

“Robin what-“ Jeremy began, turning to rest his arm on his boyfriend.

“What is happening is that Wynonna is accusing me of working for Bulshar! Which is ridiculous! I came back here to help my dad, I didn’t even want to be a cop, but I got sucked into this mess because of my job in the woods!”

“Wait Robin!” Wynonna grabbed him as he was making his way towards the exit. “It wasn’t your fault. The dreams, the sleepwalking the... potato licking.” She snorted. “Okay that wasn’t super relevant, but potato licking are u fucking kidding.” The brunette rested her hands on the desks and let out a string of hearty laughs, before she was cut off by Nicole.

“Wynonna!”

“Right shit, sorry yeah. Just pot-“ The redhead glared at her and she bit her lip and swallowed, trying to compose herself. This was somehow even funnier than the b-train thing. “Okay, so you’re the one who’s gotta create the astrological event, he can control you, but he's also given you some sort of power. So you two get reading, we’re gonna go back to Valdez! Meet you back here!”

“Are we not gonna talk about how I-“ Robin began to ask one of the thousands of questions he now had at the bombshell the hasty brunette had just dropped on him, essentially upturning his life, but she was already grabbing her jacket and yanking the startled and dazed Sheriff from her chair and over towards the door.

Nicole looked over her shoulder and gave an apologetic smile to Robin, silently telling him they would talk about it later and the boy just stared blankly and nodded. Jeremy rubbed his back gently and put down the book he’d been holding as they heard the oldest Earp yell something as the door slammed.

“LET’S GO GET OUR GIRL!”

* * *

_  
“Champ? What the hell are you doing here?” Waverly frantically looked between her ex and her fiancé who she was moments away from marrying. The look on Nicole’s face was easily the most terrifying thing she’d ever seen; the redhead looked like she was simultaneously devastated and furious and it sent a chill down Waverly’s spine knowing that she was the cause of that look. It was her fault Champ was here, she had no idea why, but it was her fault, she could feel it._

_“What? I’m here to marry you Waverly. We were meant to be married!” He pleaded reaching out and grabbing her hands. It took her a moment too long to register that they were now holding hands at the top of the aisle both dressed in wedding attire, before she yanked her hands and pulled them away, swallowing._

_“No Champ. We were never going to get married. We dated in high school, because everyone expected us too. That is it, that’s what we had and it wasn’t real and it’s over now. You know that!” She couldn’t quite believe why he had shown up now of all days. The only times she’d seen him was in passing around town, they hadn’t spoken in years and suddenly he had burst out of the barn at her wedding day. Wait, the barn? How the hell had he even got in the barn? And why was… Willa… Why was she here? Waverly snapped her head to the audience, still seeing her sister there looking at her. Then she scanned back to Wynonna who didn’t seem to even notice that Willa was here, or if she did, she didn’t care._

_“Nicole.” Waverly cried out, looking past Champ to find the eyes of her fiancé, who looked hurt and uncomfortable. The redhead looked away and down at the floor and Waverly was sure she could actually feel her heart shatter inside her._

_“What do you mean in high school Waverly? She took you from me before we could marry and now I’m here to stop it, to save you!” He looked genuinely hurt by the entire situation and Waverly was sure she’d never seen him show so much emotion ever, it caught her entirely off guard._

_“Stole me? Save me?” She snorted. “Champ, Nicole didn’t do anything. I love her and I chose her, because I want to spend my life with her, why can’t you see that?” She sighed, desperately tying to save the wedding which she was convinced was already ruined now._

_"You said yes to my proposal? We planned a wedding and we were supposed to get married! That’s why I can’t just give up on you Waves!”_

_“What? No I didn’t. You didn’t… you never proposed?” Her eyes were wide and her mouth gaped open and closed._

_“So you would have said yes?” Nicole stepped forward, finally speaking and Waverly felt her heart drop. How could Nicole ever think that she wanted to be with Champ after everything, surely she knew that she loved her more than anything._

_“What? No of course not. I love YOU Nicole! I want to marry you.” Whilst she was saying all of this though, the redhead had already started to back away and now was walking down the aisle towards the doors of the homestead, clearly wanting to get away from the situation._

_“Wait! Nicole! Please don’t go, wait!” Waverly grabbed her dress and ran as fast as her heels would let her after the redhead who was storming into the homestead and away from her. She didn’t even stop to look around or think about all of the other people around her, she just focused on the love of her life who was currently walking away, thinking she didn’t want to marry her._

_Within seconds she burst through the doors of her home after Nicole, but instead of being met with the cosy, wooden clad, rustic front room, she was instead in a huge open space so bright it almost hurt her eyes._

_Light sparkled through the canopy of leaves, scattering like glitter across the soft flowing greenery below. A mist like glow radiated around the garden, massaging the landscape with its warming touch. Birdsong danced through the trees in perfect harmony, watering the vibrant flowers with the gentle nectar-like sweetness of their tones. Between the stillness of the delicate blades of grass, pops of colour bloomed: lilac, rose, violet, marigold, snowdrops, creating the illusion of business in the otherwise still garden. Crisp water hammered against the damp riverbank, like a resting heartbeat thumping life into the perfect jagged rocks enclosing it._

_“Nicole!” She called again, getting increasingly desperate. Now though, she just wanted to make sure the girl was okay. They could talk about the wedding later, now she was terrified about where Nicole was and what could have happened._

_“Nicole please, tell me where you are I’m trying to find you!” She ran forward, tumbling over a hill and landing in front of a huge stone statue of an angel._

_With wide eyes, she finally realised what was going on and where she was. “No. No. God. This is not supposed to be happening. Wynonna is coming. She promised me.” She kicked her legs against the grass and pushed herself up to standing, before realising who the statue was. “Kevin? But she was… she was home? In the kitchen. What?…” The small girl let her voice trail off, realising she was talking to no one and had no idea what was happening or what she should do. Suddenly her eyes locked on the right of the statue, on an open space, and she started to panic again, knowing it was for her._

_“No, no, no, no.” She backed up, stumbling backwards up the hill, not wanting to take her eyes off the statue for a second, but fell forwards slightly when she crashed into something behind her._

_“Doc!” She yelled, throwing her arms around the familiar face as she turned and saw him._

* * *

_Outside the garden…_

“Hey Robin!” Wynonna called, making her way over to where he was situated among a few of the trees. “I uhh, I’m sorry about earlier, I shouldn’t have said it like that, I was only thinking about getting her back.” She scratched her neck.

“It’s fine Wynonna. You were right anyway, so you didn’t do anything wrong.” Robin shrugged, clearly upset about the revelation, but not wanting to discuss it right now.

“Still, I shouldn’t have told you that way.” She muttered. “We’ll figure it all out I promise, as soon as we get her back. She’ll be able to help, she always knows what to do.” The older girl nodded with a smile.

“Sure, you’re right. Thank you.” Robin nodded and she slapped him on the back, before hurrying over to Nicole and Valdez. 

“You ready girls?” Valdez smiled at them.

“I think so.” Nicole swallowed, not entirely sure what to expect.

“This is it Haught, we’re gonna do it, it’s gotta work.” Wynonna slapped her back.

“Yeah you’re right.” The redhead nodded, turning to take her place, but was stopped by Valdez’s arm on her wrist. Slowly, she turned back to look at her.

“The ring?” The tall brunette asked. 

‘Right, yeah.” With a huge inhale of air, Nicole reached into her breast pocket and pulled out the ring. She squeezed it in her hand before looking down and flipping it over to take it in, as though it was the last time she’d ever see it, before reaching out and handing it to the woman.

“Thank you. You’ll get it back, I swear.” They nodded at each other before turning to part. 

Wynonna hurried to her space at the right hand side of the stairs and looked over to nod at Valdez on the right, taking the ring from her. She scanned her eyes over the scene in front of her, Robin right in the centre of the trees, surrounded by Nedley, Jeremy and Chrissy brandishing different weapons. Slightly in front of her stood Nicole in her uniform, nervously shifting and hoping this would work.

“Alright. Ready guys?!” She yelled and was rewarded with some tentative nods. Usually she would chastise them all for their lack of enthusiasm, but it was obvious everyone was terrified, not so much about getting injured - although there was that risk, since opening the gate would attract a mirage of evil - but more that this wouldn’t work and that after all this time they would be back to square one. The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife.

“Haught?” She clarified slightly quieter so only the redhead and Valdez could hear.

“Yeah, let’s just do it.” Came a mumbled reply and Wynonna nodded, giving the thumbs up to Robin. Everyone shut their eyes at the same time, allowing him easier access to the forest. 

Silence settled on them eerily as the young boy focused. Wynonna and Valdez, without opening their eyes, slipped the rings on their index fingers and unsheathed their swords with the other hand. Through their closed eyes, they could see the atmosphere light up and Robin call out for them to open their eyes.

As they all cautiously opened their eyes to take in the scene, the layout of the trees had shifted, one side of the forest fell into complete darkness as the trees shaded the light and the other half allowed a bright, concentrated ray of light to cause the stairs to glow under the sunlight.

They had created an eclipse through the arrangement of the trees.

After figuring out they weren’t able to manipulate the weather, Jeremy had decided they could create the illusion of doing so through the arrangement of the trees which they had hoped - apparently correctly - that Robin would be able to manipulate through his tangential connection to Bulshar. 

Other than the eclipse they’d manage to create, when Wynonna looked up, she could see that both her and Valdez’s swords had projected some sort of light from them, connecting them in an arch and the barrier was broken between them. Frantically she looked towards Nicole who looked just as shocked as she was, standing there frozen.

“HAUGHT! NOW! GO!” 

Her voice seemed to snap Nicole out of her daze as she nodded and bolted through the small hole which was obvious in the barrier and up the stairs towards the door. She was the only one who could do it, the only one with no curses or supernatural connections and likely one of the only people who would be able to pull Waverly out of it. 

Once at the top of the stairs, Nicole began to pull on the door, but it wouldn’t open, it was like it was jammed or locked and she started to panic, hammering on it and calling out.

“IT WON’T OPEN WYNONNA! I CAN’T GET IN! IT DIDN’T WORK!” She looked back with desperation, her hands still tugging the door as her shoulders burned with the force.

“It’s up to her to leave now!” Valdez called back.

“What?!” Wynonna snapped, still holding her sword up with both arms.

“We broke the barrier, the facade, now she has the choice - to stay or leave! She has to leave!” Valdez called over the sound of the redhead’s yelling and pounding on the door.

“You tricked us! You said we could get her!” Wynonna growled, going to lower her hands.

“Don’t!” Valdez warned. “Keep calling red! She might be able to hear you!” The agent looked over her shoulders towards the Sheriff and gave her a reassuring nod. 

Their attention was snapped forward when a gunshot went off and the three girls saw Nedley, Jeremy and Chrissy manically trying to hold back the things appearing out of the bushes, looking like some sort of possessed, almost zombie like people.

Nicole sped up her pace, calling out to Waverly and pounding on the door, having no idea whether her girl could hear or not, but not taking the risk. “WAVERLY! Baby I’m here, can you hear me?! Please walk towards my voice! Waverly!”

* * *

_  
“Doc!”_

_After the brief hug, she realised that he was still a vampire who had been trying to kill her last time she saw him alone. In that moment though, she found she didn’t even care, she was just so relieved to see a familiar face and not to be alone in this terrifying, dreamlike garden._

_“Waverly you’ve got to go. Now.” He turned his body to show a door which hadn’t been there a moment ago, with such a bright light billowing out of it that she couldn’t entirely see the frame._

_“Okay, quick, come on.” She reached for his hand and he pulled it back away from her. “Doc? What are you doing come on! We don’t have time. I’m supposed to be stone!” With a pleading tone in her voice, she reached for his hand again, but he stepped back closer to the door._

_“I can’t come with you. One of us has to stay here, and your sister needs you darlin’, Sheriff Haught needs you.” He nodded with a small smile as he reached a hand to brush her hair away from her face. The small girl’s eyes began to sparkle with tears at the mention of her loved ones and the realisation of what he’d just said hit. She wasn’t the kind to accept it that easily, not without a fight._

_“What do you mean? The door is right there Doc! We can both leave - together!” She shifted impatiently looking past him to make sure the door was still open._

_“We can’t love, the door only lets one of us pass. I knew that when I followed you in, I have made my peace with my fate Waverly. You however, have your whole life ahead of you. You need to walk out of here. For your sister.” He nodded and she shook her head frantically in disbelief._

_“No. You’re wrong, that can’t be right, how do you know that?” She stalled._

_“Because darlin’ it is my purpose. I am here so you can go home. I have lived my life many times over and now… it is your turn to live Waverly.” He paused and tilted his head offering her a smile._

_“Doc please, I’m not leaving without you, we can go at the same time, then it can’t shut on us!” The small girl reached for anything, any small possibility that this would be okay._

_“The door will not let us pass that way.” He shook his head solemnly and her mouth opened and closed, searching for any other option. "You've got to go darlin' do it for me.” He repeated himself and before she could answer, she felt a cold, familiar hand on her neck, tilting and whispering into her ear._

_“Don’t listen to him. Don’t be so selfish. You belong here, not out there.”_

_“Jolene.” She sighed, turning to come face to face with the one thing which terrified her more than the idea of becoming stone._

_"She wants you more than me, we all know that, she loves you Waverly Earp.” Doc continued, stepping forward to turn her back to face him. “Wynonna needs you babygirl, she cannot do this without you.” He promised her and she felt a tear drop to the floor._

_“No she doesn't, she let the garden take you and she hasn't come to save you yet. She chose him to father her child, she don't choose you, she's stuck with you, the angel and the burden on her shoulders.” The cold voice hissed behind her and she frantically looked between them, suddenly faced with the magnitude of her decision._

_It was her or Doc._

_And she had to choose._

_Her mind flicked back to the one and only time she’d betrayed Wynonna to save Nicole, when she’d given the widows the seal and how much it had broken her sister that she’d betrayed her. She couldn’t do that again. But Wynonna had told her she was the light, the goodness, the thing she needed and she didn’t want to take that from her either. Maybe she would forgive her though, if it brought Doc back to her. Alice Michelle deserved to have the father she never had._

_“Nicole.” Doc used the officer’s first name in a desperate attempt to remind Waverly what she had. “Waverly that girl needs you. I've seen her once, outside, she's broken without you.”_

_Waverly let out a loud sob. She hadn’t even thought about what Nicole would be going through without her, whilst she was here living her dream. It was entirely selfish, if she stayed she could live that life endlessly, safe and eternally with Nicole, knowing that the real redhead outside would be lost without her. But even still she wanted to stay and pretend this was reality and there was nothing outside waiting for her-_

_"No she doesn't, it’s your fault she keeps getting injured. You’ll get her killed, don't be so selfish you coward.” Jolene snarled and Waverly turned back towards the open space waiting for a statue. All she had to do was walk there, to choose someone else other than herself. Jolene was right, it was her fault Nicole had almost died multiple times. The widows, the stabbing and god knows what else trying to get her out of the garden. She could stop that, she could protect her and at the same time give Wynonna the love of her life back. Despite all of that, there was a small part of her which hesitated. A small part of her which wondered if Doc was right, what would Wynonna be like without her, she didn’t even want to imagine._

_It was like no matter what she did it was selfish. If she stayed and lived her dream life, she was hurting everyone outside, but if she left she’d never forgive herself for leaving Doc here, and Wynonna wouldn’t be able to look at her._

_"Waverly let me do this this, I owe it to you all! Please.” Doc called and she stopped in her tracks, feeling her body move backwards without her physically moving._

_“Doc, I don’t know what to do. I can’t go. Not whilst you’re here.”_

_“You have to darlin’ the door is only open for a short while. They opened it for you, I know they did. They’re all out there, listen.” The garden fell into silence as she stood in front of the door now, Doc behind her and Jolene behind him. Faintly she could hear a rough, deep voice which sent goosebumps shooting all over her skin._

_“Nicole.” She breathed out almost inaudibly._

* * *

“Waves!” Nicole felt the door loosen a little and she pulled with all of her might as she heard a soft, musical voice whisper her name. “Waverly! Yes! It’s me baby, Nicole! I’m here, can you hear me! Come on please, push the door! I can hear you!” The redhead felt tears streaming from her cheeks at the sound of the small girls voice; it was the first feeling of hope she’d had in a month. She was excruciatingly aware that it was the first time she’d heard her girlfriends voice in a month and she knew if they didn’t get her back after this she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to recover. Not after this. Not after coming so close she could hear her… she could feel…

… the door had started to open and a familiar hand reached out to closer around her own.

* * *

_  
“She is waiting for you love. I am okay darlin’, truly this is what was meant for me, this is the path I chose for myself. You deserve a chance to live, now, without the curse, there is so much more to see.” Waverly looked over her shoulder to the man who had removed his hat and reached out to place his lighter in her hand. Tears streamed from her eyes, staining her cheeks and the older man wiped away a few of his own. She didn’t say anything, she froze, as she felt a hand grab onto hers and she shivered knowing exactly who it belonged too, the love of her life’s cries bellowed through the door becoming almost deafening as the hand pulled against her own. She felt her body being pulled as she tried to reach out for Doc who stepped back away from her with a smile and a nod._

_"Waverly will you tell Alice?" The younger girls tears stopped and her head snapped to him, breath catching in her throat. "Tell her that daddy loves her very much and that he misses her everyday and that he's protecting her from up here."_

_“Wait, I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want to go. I want to stay!” She called out, trying to tug her hand away from the door, but being caught._

_“It is too late love, the garden knows, you have to go. This is not your time.” He stepped back, putting his hat back on his head. "Tell your sister I will forever cherish the little time we had and I wish I had not been such a coward so as to tell her I love her.” He tipped his hat and stepped back. "Goodbye Waverly. Look after them, they need you.”_

_Before she could hesitate or struggle, her vision went white in a flash and she slammed her eyes shut at the pain from the brightness in the light, feeling no contact anymore as she fell, or felt like she was falling._

_Suddenly the world was still and the brightness gone. She kept her eyes closed in fear of what opening them would reveal._

* * *

“Oh my god!” Nicole cried out, reaching out her other hand to hold onto the single hand reaching out from the light. 

“I CAN FEEL HER WYNONNA! SHE’S HERE!” The redhead cried, but before the brunette could reply, there was a high pitched scream, a flash of light and then complete darkness. When each of them opened their eyes, the forest was back as before, but the staircase was gone. 

In its place Waverly lay shaking on the floor, her body looked weak like she hadn't eaten for weeks, something which Waverly hadn't felt at all until outside the garden, and her skin was bruised from the fall. But she looked surprisingly like the Waverly that left, peaceful and beautiful with closed eyes and the same pink trousers and crop top she had on when she left.

Wynonna was pacing and shaking her head. "Where is he?! What happened? Why isn't her with her?!" Her cheeks were red as though crying but no tears were there, just stains from moments before.

"Wynonna please, you've got to stop, she's in shock." Nicole begged wrapping her jumper around Waverly and rubbing her to warm her up. Initially there was no reaction from the young girl who continued to shake before she shifted into a panicked and horrified look. Nicole stopped rubbing her arms instantly, unsure if she was doing the right thing.

Waverly darted back away from her, her eyes dancing between Wynonna and Nicole frantically. She began shaking her head, but no words came out. Wynonna was now away from the space where the barrier had been, walking towards her slowly with fear in her eyes.

"Babygirl?" She let out a strangled word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhh... I'm sorry...
> 
> I had no idea how to explain how they actually did the ritual, because there's no clues or anything, so instead I just skipped over HOW Robin opened the garden and focused more on Waverly's decision and his connection to Bulshar.
> 
> The idea was mostly based on Eve in the garden having to be selfish and betray God to be kicked from the garden. Waverly is the most selfless character so the idea that she had to be selfish in order to leave the garden seemed super interesting to me.  
> Also Doc being the snake has to entice her to be selfish, as it does Eve and Jolene is the devil on her shoulder etc. - the angel and devil trope.  
> \- just a little explanation for the idea (which there is definitely more too if you read the next part) in case it wasn't super obvious though the dialogue. I hope it helped.
> 
> As usual, feel free to leave your ideas and feedback below or come be my friend on social media lol @waverly_angel_earp on insta or @charzpov on twitter 
> 
> love ya x


	6. Chapter 06

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly is home.  
> Nicole and Wynonna try to understand what happened.  
> Nicole struggles to get Waverly to open up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... so the s4 trailer dropped and lets be honest there was no way I was gonna predict Waverly's giant spoon or Nicole with her water pistol - I kinda forget sometimes how insane this show is hahah - soooo for now, let's call this a 'season four alternate fic' because this show is too unpredictable.
> 
> Although - NICOLE PUNCHED WYNONNA!!! I am so happy haha I wanted that moment so badly! I could talk about the trailer for years but if u wanna talk about the trailer, dm me on instagram (at the end of this chapter)
> 
> This is almost exclusively focused on Waverly's struggle after the garden so there is very little plot - let's just say its more intimate and slow versus the fast paced last chapter haha.
> 
> I hope this does justice to everything and the confusion, hurt, stress and relief of the situation.

"Babygirl?" She let out a strangled word.

With that, Waverly began to cry, loud passionate sobs and she buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. Her entire body vibrated with the sobs and vigorous shaking. 

"Stop it!" Waverly cried for the first time since leaving the garden. Her voice shocked Wynonna and Nicole into silence. It was Waverly, her soft melodic voice was so distinct they paused for a moment in awe of how long it had been since they'd heard it.

Nicole was next to speak, she didn't reach out to touch Waverly or move towards her, unsure of what was happening. Instead she sat still, opposite the crying girl and softened her face like she always did when Waverly was upset. Her chest was heaving up and down, and she shoved her hands under her crossed legs to hide how much they were shaking. _What if Waverly was scared of them? What if she'd done something to her in the garden?_ The idea terrified Nicole, but not as much as the other one. The one where Waverly didn't remember who she was.

"Waves it's me, Nicole?" She tilted her head, her eyes willing Waverly to remember, but the girl didn't remove her hands from her eyes, she just increased the shaking of her head and the crying.

"No its not!" Waverly sobbed. "I can't do this, stop it please. Doc! I've changed my mind, please come back!" She burst the words out in an almost incoherent sentence and Wynonna and Nicole looked at each other, eyes squinted and brows laced wirh confusion. _Did she know who they were?_ She seemed to know Nicole, but not recognise her at the same time. _And what about Doc?_ Wynonna nodded to Nicole and gestured at Waverly with a nod of the head and a raise of the brow. Nicole swallowed, knowing what she was suggesting, but scared to hurt the girl anymore.

Carefully, methodically, Nicole stretched out a hand and placed it on top of the hand on Waverly's right cheek, her thumb tracing circles like it always did. Waverly's sobbing instantly cooled and her hands fell to her lap, eyes wide. Nicole's hand fell away and she inched back slightly holding her breath. She felt Wynonna's breath warm on her back as the older Earp crouched beside her. Instantly she felt a little uncomfortable; they were staring at Waverly like an animal in the zoo, as Jeremy and Robin's eyes burned the back of her head from a few metres away.

Waverly didn't seem to notice though. Her eyes were wide as if in shock and the crying had subsided entirely. The look on her face had shifted from fear to confusion and she just sat staring back at them. Everyone seemed to hold their breath in the moment, terrified to move and scare her again, like she was made of glass, or a stack of papers and one breath would blow them into chaos.

Nicole's hand on her's had shocked Waverly. Whenever they would touch in the garden it didn't feel like that; she had been happy and she liked Nicole a lot, but there was nothing more in the touches. Everything had felt stagnant and emotionless, but Nicole's fingers against her hand in that moment felt electric and her skin felt on fire in the best way. Her sister's face looked harder and colder, like Wynonna should, but there was the tenderness which always betrayed her behind the eyes. Waverly let herself believe for a second that it was really them, staring and feeling hope swell up inside her, blossoming beautifully. But it was quickly replaced by panic and tears started to fall again. What if it was a trick? This was the garden giving her what she wanted, only to rip it away at the end again.

Slowly she backed away, pulling her knees up to her chest and shaking her head.

The group let out collective sighs, unsure of what the situation was, fighting off tears, scared to show their own doubts or concerns in case they manifested a reality. Everyone would rather avoid the truth.

Jeremy stepped forward finally. "I think, maybe we should take her home." He suggested, aware that neither of the three broken girls on the floor were going to suggest it. As his hand rested on Nicole's shoulder she looked up at him, forcing a smile and nodded.

As Nicole leant down to lift her, Waverly burst out again, sending the redhead stumbling backwards onto her bum and looking at her in shock.

"There was a bright light and you were fading and walking away and you looked angry at me, like i was going to choose him over you." Waverly knew Nicole would never believe that, but she couldn't hide the hurt from the moment in her voice and Nicole pulled her in, holding her, but letting her talk and get it all out.

Quietly, she whispered, “who baby?”

“Champ.” Waverly sobbed out and Nicole tried to hide her visceral reaction, but it was instinctive the way her body tensed at the name and she held Waverly just a little tighter than before.

"I didn't know what was real Wynonna,” Waverly looked desperately, almost manically at her sister, "you were there, and so was Nicole, and Champ and Willa and-... I never saw him, Doc, not until the end... at the wedding." She looked at Nicole awkwardly, aware of the elephant in the room, the fact that it was everything she’d wanted and Nicole hadn’t said yes to her proposal yet. "It was like everything I wanted in life was coming true, but if I thought about it too hard I felt hollow, it felt hollow, surreal and uncomfortably dejavu like. And then it was gone and I wanted it back so badly. I wanted that and you." She sobbed into Nicole. "But I didn't have time to think about it because… because there was a statue... with a space... for me I assume, but Doc was there and he told me to let him take it, and then she was there." Waverly winced at the thought.

"Who baby?" Nicole curled her hands around Waverly's neck, leaning her back and scanning her face for signs.

"Jolene." The word sliced the air and everyone stiffened.

"She told me to take it, that it was what everyone wanted, but Doc insisted, I'm so sorry Wynonna, I was selfish I shouldn't have let him convince me. It should be me in there, it was supposed to be me."

"The snake." Wynonna's eyes were wide in realisation and sadness.

"What? Wynonna I-" Nicole jumped in to defend Doc, not thinking now was an appropriate time for anger.

"No, he- he was the snake. In the garden. He... the venom. Oh my God." She paced with her hand on her forehead as Waverly and Nicole looked on, entwined and confused. 

“We were right.” Both Nicole and Wynonna breathed out almost inaudibly.

"He took over from Bulshar, it was always going to end this way, Waverly. The only way for you to leave the garden was if he didn't."

"I know, but he could have left if I didn't." Nicole tensed her grip on her girlfriend, the idea that Doc had sacrificed himself for her made her feel guilty for everything she'd said about him or felt about him in his absence. The idea that it was almost Waverly though terrified her and she couldn't even imagine what Wynonna was feeling right now.

"Yeah but babyigrl it never would have been that way." She crouched next to her sister and kissed her forehead with tears in her eyes. “He was the snake, he had to convince you to betray the guardian - me - in order to leave. The same way Eve did with the fruit. He knew it from the start Waverly, it was always going to end this way." Waverly was crying now and shaking her head.

"No its not fair, this can't be the end! He was supposed to be here." Nicole pulled her closer.

"Shhh its okay Waves, its okay baby, he did it for you, for all of us." There was a strange feeling or dejavu in the air and Wynonna let out a small laugh among her tears.

"Men." She sank to the floor wrapping her arms around the two girls next to her, as they all silently and solemnly thanked Doc and Dolls for keeping them safe.

Ten minutes of silence ensued. Waverly, Nicole and Wynonna wrapped around each other; Jeremy and Robin standing behind holding each other tightly; Chrissy and Nedley hugging in obvious relief at the sight of Waverly and Valdez noticing the now clear sky and making her way back to her SUV silently. Eventually, Nicole pulled away, becoming acutely aware of the smaller girl’s shivering in the snow, and looking into her eyes, reassuringly. 

"Alright, Waverly, I'm going to help you up now okay?" She didn't move towards her though, waiting for any sign that she'd heard what she said. Waverly swallowed, giving up now. If this was the garden then there was no point in fighting it anyway, she might as well just let it play out its story, she didn't have to believe it, just be there for it. Gently she nodded, not looking at Nicole. She looked at Wynonna and gave what almost looked to the older girl like a reassuring smile, but she squinted confused at the sudden act.

Nicole hooked her arms under Waverly's legs picking her up and instinctively the small girl wrapped a hand around her girlfriend's neck. The redhead bit her lip, fighting tears as Waverly's hand rubbed up against the small red curls and the dainty tattoo at the nape of her neck and her other hand reached out to trace the mole on her cheek.

"Nicole?" Waverly wasn't sure what made her say it, but the feel of Nicole's bare arms on her bare lower back beneath the oversized police jacket draped over her felt electric and tingly and she felt excitement building again. It felt real, Waverly tried to convince herself. But so had the proposal, and the date at the park, and the wedding. Some of the events in the garden had felt so real that the other ones were hard to remember. Everything had felt so real to begin with, then she lost track of what was and wasn't real and it all just felt confusing. She didn't know how she got here though, but then she never knew how she got anywhere in the garden.

"Waves, I'm here, it's okay." Nicole walked quickly through the forest with everyone behind them hurrying to keep up. Waverly shook her head again, wordlessly and Nicole couldn't help a tear falling this time. It was so frustrating, like she was there one second and then gone the next. Wynonna had noticed it too, the smile which was gone before it had even begun.

"How?” She squeaked.

Wynonna had pulled open the door for Nicole and they had piled into the back, Jeremy and Robin in the front, Chrissy and Nedley following behind, none of them even noticed Valdez absence. Waverly was stretched across them, her head in Nicole's lap and her hand in Wynonna's as the two friends exchanged worried glances.

"How what babygirl, what's wrong?" Wynonna encouraged her carefully. She wanted to ask about Doc, about what she'd said earlier, to run back and yell at him for being an idiot and to get out here. But she knew Waverly wouldn't answer if she did. Wynonna had no idea what to feel, she knew she should be more concerned or upset for the absence of Doc, but she'd never felt as much joy as she did having her sister in her lap, however different or damaged, it was Waverly, alive and breathing in her lap.

"I don't know." Waverly shook her head and tears began to fall again.

"Hey, Waves its okay, it's gonna be okay." Nicole tucked a hair behind the small girls ear, shaking her head. "We've got time, let's just get home and warm first okay, there's no rush." Nicole's calm and collected voice hid the frustration and panic inside like it was effortless; having Waverly back, seeing her longer, untamed hair and dirty floral crop top, her watery Hazel eyes and soft chapped lips ignited the thing inside her that just wanted to protect and make sure her safety came above anything else. Wynonna watched on, witnessing the shift in Nicole's eyes from hurt to determined and felt a pang of guilt for ever doubting the redheads ability to protect their girl.

Waverly seemed to be drifting off as they sped through Purgatory and Wynonna and Nicole exchanged a worried glance. "Should we -?" Nicole asked concerned, not sure what the protocol was for someome who had just left the Garden of... _Eden_?

"I don't know?" Wynonna replied, looking equally as concerned. "We can let her sleep for 15 minutes I guess, until we get back?" Wynonna shrugged as if confident and Nicole just nodded in agreement, her eyes now back on the peacefully sleeping girl with red, tear stained cheeks in her lap.

"Nicole?" The redhead hummed in response, begrudgingly looking over at Wynonna who had a genuine smile now.

"We did it. She's home." Her voice sounded softer than usual, as though she was going to cry, or couldn't quite believe the words. As though saying it out loud would somehow make the very real, very alive, girl in their last disappear. Nicole couldn't fight the smile on her own face now as she looked down at the sight, unable to fully believe that this was real. Nodding she replied.

"We did.”

* * *

_An hour later, at the kitchen table in the homestead..._

With everyone else finally dissipated, Wynonna sat to Waverly’s left at the table and Nicole stood, pacing, slightly behind the sisters. Since the outburst, Waverly hadn’t said a single word and eventually they’d convinced everyone else to leave, deciding it wasn’t worth overcrowding her. Nicole considered going too, not sure where they even stood after the garden and the fear in her girls eyes. She just wanted Waverly to feel safe and relaxed and didn’t want to be the reason she wasn’t, so she stood slowly and reached over for her keys with slightly trembling hands. With a quick side glance at Waverly who was intently watching her every move, she leant in to Wynonna’s ear whispering that she thought it best if she left, but when she pulled away the older Earp looked at her with wide, almost pleading eyes, implying she couldn’t do this alone. It was up to Waverly though, Nicole thought, if she didn’t want her here, then she would go, no matter what Wynonna wanted.

“Waves?” The redhead crouched down to be eye level and carefully held one of Waverly’s hands. “I’m not sure I’m helping here, if you want me to stay I will, but if not I’ll go.” She tried not to let any bias show in her eyes at how desperately she wanted Waverly to ask her to stay, to need her, to want her. In reality she wanted and needed Waverly right now too, but she would to anything for her and if that meant leaving, then she would do that too.

There was no movement on Waverly’s face, almost as if the girl hadn’t heard, or was deciding what to do so Nicole, trying not to let out a sigh or a tear, rose to her feet. When she dropped Waverly’s hand though, the small girl wordlessly, but frantically reached out and grabbed it, pulling her back. It took everything in Nicole not to let a huge grin spread on her face at the fact Waverly still wanted her there and that hadn’t changed, but instead, she softened and let a small reassuring smile spread as she leant over and spoke softly again.

“Okay, okay, I’m not going anywhere, but can I take this off? Get a blanket instead, something cleaner?” Nicole mumbled, pushing at the police jacket and Waverly just gently nodded.

Carefully, Nicole removed her police jacket from her girls shoulders.

"Wynonna she's bleeding! I think we need to go to the hospital?" Nicoles eyes widened in panic at what she hadn't noticed in the forest. Her jacket was Covered in blood, as was the back of Waverly's shirt and it definitely wasn’t her own for a change.

Wynonna shook her head, biting her lip in frustration. "What will we tell them? She's just home from a fucking magical garden and we don't know what's wrong with her? That she's probably got some magical form of PTSD and we don't know what to do? That she's injured from something which we have no explanation for?"

"Wynonna." Nicole snapped her eyes darting in a panic to Waverly who was still sitting silently at the kitchen table. They'd been back almost an hour, but the girl hadn't said anything since the car. Only just now when they'd removed the jacket had they seen the blood.

"No, let's just see how bad it is?" Wynonna walked up behind Waverly about to lift up her shirt carefully when the girl spun around in a panic.

"No!" She yelled and the two standing girls stumbled back in shock.

"Sorry, I just, I don't want you to see them. It's weird, I don't want them." Waverly sucked in deep breaths as a few tears fell. She was still sitting in the chair, but she'd turned to the side now, her eyes desperately pleading with them. The truth was Waverly had never seen _them_ either and she didn’t want to, the only memory she had of the scars was a blurry, painful ache in the time between passing from the garden into Nicole’s lap outside and she was terrified. She didn’t even think it was real or else there was no way she would have let the redhead remove her jacket. Now she instantly regretted it, knowing they’d have questions and knowing she didn’t have the answers to them even if she wanted to.

Nicole crouched down beside her, not touching her, but putting her hand out, palm up on her knee in case Waverly wanted to take it which she did, slowly.

"Waverly, whatever it is, it's not weird. If you don't want us to look, then let a doctor? We just need to know you're okay and you don't need stitches." Nicole rubbed her palm with her thumb.

"We'll figure it out. You're beautiful Waverly, nothing is going to change that." Nicole's face was soft and tender and she was doing all she could to reassure Waverly that scars weren't anything to be ashamed of. More than anything, she just wanted to see the damage the garden had caused, because Waverly had said it was her fantasy, but the blood staining her shirt and the fear in her eyes said otherwise.

"Chicks dig scars remember?" Wynonna smiled, crouching down beside Waverly, resting a hand on her knee which Waverly rested her own on top of. Still, she shook her head.

"I don't need a doctor."

"Wave's I -" Nicole began to try and convince her otherwise.

"Stitches can't fix this." She looked down biting her lip and trying not to cry. Her whole body was shaking still and Nicole wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in a blanket and hold her until everything was okay again, if it ever was. The older girls exchanged worried glances.

"Waverly, you're scaring me, what is it? If someone's -" again Waverly cut her sister off.

"No one did anything. I'll show you, I promise, but I just... I don't want to now, not yet."

An exhausted, helpless look was shared before Nicole made a decision.

"Okay, it's your body baby, I don't want you to be uncomfortable with anything." She stroked her palm in circles. "Will you take a shower? For me? I can help, or Wynonna can, if you need? But just clean yourself up and then you can get some rest?" Nicole hated the idea that Waverly would choose Wynonna to help shower her. Selfishly she wanted to be the only one allowed into that intimate vulnerable space, but she knew the sisters shared a bond and there was every chance that Waverly would take Wynonna with her. It took everything she had to not reach up and wipe the tears from her girlfriends cheeks, to tuck the loose, damaged hair behind her ear, or to kiss the back of her knuckles softly, but she knew to be patient, they were already making progress and she didn't want to push something which Waverly wasn't ready for. Waverly nodded understandingly.

"I'll shower."

“Okay, do you want me to -?" Wynonna didn't finish as Waverly shook her head.

"I can do it." She got up, letting go of Nicole's hand and pulled the jacket over her shoulders before making her way upstairs. Wynonna and Nicole just sat back on the floor and sighed. Nicole pressed her head in her hands and Wynonna lay back against the cupboard, head tilted up.

"We'll get there red. Give her time."

Nicole nodded. She knew the older Earp was right, that she should be greatful Waverly was home, but she secretly cursed herself for thinking getting her back was the biggest issue. For naively believing that as soon as she was back all the problems would fade to black. What Wynonna did next surprised Nicole. She reached out her hand and squeezed her knee firmly. Instinctively Nicole rested her hand on top and squeezed back and they both sat there in silence for a while: together. Nicole decided that was just another one of the things which had changed since Waverly had disappeared. Her and Wynonna had spent a lot of time together, a lot of emotionally charged, long nights fuelled by hatred, stress and love. Things were bound to change after that, barriers would inevitably fall, even for Wynonna Earp. The redhead didn't say anything though, right now, she was glad she wasn't alone in this, she at least had one person who understood.

One, painstakingly long hour later, Waverly walked into the kitchen in long tracksuit bottoms which belonged to Nicole and a tank top covered by a huge fluffy dressing gown.

"Sorry I was cold." She smiled in reference to the pyjama bottoms which Nicole had left here for the nights she’d stayed with Wynonna. 

Nicole shook her head, smiling back. _Cold._ Waverly was _always_ cold. She’d always thought it was ironic, how someone who made her feel so warm inside, who shone so much light on everyone else was always freezing no matter how warm the room was. Wynonna teased it was because she never wore a jacket, but Nicole wouldn’t comment and instead would give her own jacket.It was such a small, insignificant comment, but to Nicole it meant more than anything.

"You can have whatever you like." She flicked the kettle. "Do you want a tea?" Nicole wasn't sure if that was the right thing to ask or not, there were so many things which seemed awkward to ask, but Waverly nodded in response and added something.

"Do we have anything to eat?"

Wynonna perked up from the chair.

"Yeah, we have stuff, but we can order something if you like?"

Waverly just shook her head.

"No I'd rather not see anyone else right now." She smiled sheepishly. "Do we have sweet and sour soup? And -"

"Peanut butter." Wynonna and Nicole finished at the same time with a smile as Waverly nodded. It was another small thing, but it was the first real sign of Waverly, their Waverly. Nicole almost scalded herself with the kettle, she had been too distracted in her thoughts, in her hopefulness that maybe things would be okay after all. Wynonna was already up and looking for the sachets of cheap soup which Waverly loved so much. No one else liked them, so they'd remained in the cupboard unopened whilst she'd been away.

As the three girls sat around the dining table with tea and food they kept catching themselves staring at each other. There was a silence, but it was one of those comfortable silences where everyone was content to just be in each others company. 

It was broken by Waverly.

"I'll talk about it. Soon. I promise. I just need time... to think." Waverly took a spoon-full of soup.

"There's no rush babygirl." Wynonna rubbed her shoulder. There was a rush, the rush was that Doc was still gone and she was still guardian of this place, but she knew pushing too hard would just take them 10 steps back. Plus the last thing she ever wanted to do was upset Waverly. If she never saw another tear on her face it would be too soon. Nicole just nodded in agreement.

"I know I owe it to you, i just, I don't really know how to say it all." She stared awkwardly into her soup. "Its all jumbled up in my head, kind of fragmented, like when you're drunk and I dont know where to start or how to say it all." Waverly rambled and usually someone would cut off her paranoid rambles, but neither of the other two could bring themselves to cut her short, they were still too in awe of being able to hear her voice and witness the quirky rambling to even consider cutting it short.

When she was done Nicole shook her head, sipping her coffee. "You don't owe us anything Waverly. The fact that you're here and _alive_ is all we wanted." Nicole winced a little at her own word choice, but it was the truth, both her and Wynonna had spend nights curled up in Waverly's bed, pillows between them but unable to be alone in fear of loosing another person. Because that's what they thought had happened. They'd lost her.

Waverly didn't look convinced though. "I'm sorry.”

“He’s not coming back is he.” Wynonna burst out of nowhere, eyes locked on the fridge behind her sister. Panic spread through Nicole, who shot her widened eyes towards her friend, but before she could protest that Waverly didn’t have to answer, the small girl shook her head.

“Wynonna I -“ Waverly began, but Wynonna pushed away from the table, her mouth locked in a thin line as she turned to the door, grabbing her keys.

As Nicole frantically scanned the scene trying to decide what to do, the front door of the homestead slammed and Waverly looked away, staring into the next room, the back of her head towards the redhead. 

“She’ll be back Waves, she just needs time.” Nicole reached out to touch her shoulder, but instantly withdrew her hand, slamming it into her lap just in case.

“It’s my fault Nicole. I left him there.” The small girl’s head snapped back towards her and her eyes were sparkling with tears ready to fall. Nicole couldn’t help think it looked too much like the expression that had been there when they had just got her back from the garden and she didn’t _ever_ want to see that again.

“Hey. No it isn’t. This isn’t your fault at all baby.” Nicole rubbed her uniform pants with her palms trying to cool the instinct to reach out and hold Waverly close to stop her crying.

“It is.” A few tears finally fell. “It is supposed to be me in there. I’m the chosen one not him. I was weak and selfish and I let him convince me it should be him.” She shook her head and Nicole pinched the fabric of her pants so tightly her fingertips went white. 

“Waverly look at me.” She demanded, but her tone was soft and loving, something she reserved only for talking to Waverly. The small brunette lifted her head in a lazy manner to make eye contact, but her gaze was empty and hollow and watery and it gave Nicole chills. “Wynonna wanted _you_ back, more than anything. Nothing would have hurt her more than you being gone.” Nicole swallowed hard, knowing it was the same for her. “Not even losing him.” Her fingers began to hurt from twisting the fabric around her hand so she dropped it to the chair and tapped quietly instead.

Waverly didn’t reply, she just stared into the distance, letting the tears fall.

“How do you know? He’s uh, he’s not coming back? That we can’t get him like we did you?” Nicole tilted her head slightly, to try and see Waverly’s face.

“He’s stone Nicole.” The brunette snapped, turning her head to face her.

“I-“ Nicole paused, unsure of what to say next, so opting to look down instead.

“I’m sorry.” The same phrase tumbled from Waverly’s lips again, the one continuous phrase she’d said since leaving the garden _‘I’m sorry’._

“Stop saying that, you don’t have to apologise.” Reaching a hand up, Nicole scratched her neck. After a long pause she tried again. “How do-“ she cut herself off, shaking her head slightly.

“What?” Waverly prompted.

“It doesn’t matter.” Nicole mumbled, bringing her hands back to her pant leg.

“Just ask it Nicole, it can’t be worse than you being weird and awkward.” Waverly huffed out. 

“How do you know? Did you… was that what you saw? In the- in there?” She stumbled over her words, screwing up her face at how uncomfortable she seemed around the one person who she always went to for comfort. 

“No I didn’t see.” Waverly looked down now. “I saw the space - next to Kevin - and then it all happened too fast…” she trailed off and Nicole tried to hide her shock.

“Kevin?”

“Yeah she was this -“

“Super sexy government agent.” Nicole finished for her.

“How do you-“

“Valdez. Her real name is Valdez.” The redhead grimaced and then sighed as Waverly stared at her. “She helped us get you out.”

“But she was in there? How -“ Waverly shook her head.

“I don’t know, but maybe it means the same can happen for Doc? He can be both in there and out?” Nicole raised her brows hopefully, a small smile twitching for the first time in an hour, but it was instantly wiped away when Waverly shook her head furiously.

“No.”

“But-“

“He’s gone Nicole. Why won’t you believe me. Doc is gone!” Waverly yelled and Nicole flinched. Before the garden it had been rare to hear the small girl raise her voice, but it was already happening way too often in the couple of hours she’d been back. 

“I do believe you, I just-“

“Don’t get your hopes up Nicole. He’s gone. There’s no point in lying about it.” Waverly deadpanned, with a serious, stern expression and Nicole almost smiled, it was a familiar look, but the tone of voice was enough to unsettle her.

“You didn’t see it though?” The redhead tilted her head.

“I didn’t need to. Remember you told me the to trust you with the look on Tucker’s face?” Nicole nodded, tensing slightly at the memory of the boy and their worst fight. “Well I need you to trust me now. Doc knew. He knew he wasn’t coming back. He asked me too-“ she let out a sob and Nicole let her guard down reaching a hand up, before trying to casually play it off and resting it on the table, tapping slightly. 

“What?”

“He told me to tell Alice he loved her and he’d make sure she was safe and -“ she couldn’t finish the sentence for her crying and Nicole looked away, eyes checking the door to make sure Wynonna wasn’t in earshot anywhere. This would not help the situation right now. Without being able to touch Waverly she didn’t know what else to say, so she subconsciously increased the tapping on the wood. After a while, Waverly looked up, noticing her hands and grabbed it to stop the tapping. Nicole felt her entire body tense and her palm felt like it was burning up under the familiar touch of her girlfriend, she let it go limp in Waverly’s grasp.

The small girl noticed and let go.

“See, everything is wrong.” She shook her head, standing up. “You will barely look at me and Wynonna is never going to forgive me for this. I did it - the one thing I promised myself I’d never do again: I betrayed her. She’s gonna hate me.” She paced and Nicole felt her heart pounding as she jumped up, finally reaching out to still Waverly as the small girl froze and looked up shocked. Instantly she dropped her hands back to her sides, not wanting to overstep. Waverly looked down at the floor and Nicole regretted letting go, silently cursing herself. She had no idea whether _not_ touching her was causing more damage than touching was. Neither option seemed to be working and she felt trapped and claustrophobic and she just wanted to hold her and pretend the garden didn’t exist and it never happened and that Doc and Wynonna were beating each other up in the barn again and interrupting them.

Instead, she tilted Waverly’s head up to meet her gaze, before dropping her hand. “She will forgive you. She would forgive you for anything Waverly Earp. It might take her time to show it, but she’s already forgiven you, because there was only one thing you could have done which was worse than leaving him behind and that was leaving yourself in there.” Nicole reached up, quickly pushing the small brunette curl out of her girlfriend’s face. “And I _am_ looking at you Waverly. I never want to stop looking at you, I never want to take my eyes off you again. The month you were gone was the worst month of my life. I spent every single night waiting for this moment, I even _prayed_ Waves!” She wiggled her brows, before getting serious again. “I just want to do what’s best for you and I don’t know what that is, so you’ve got to help me okay? We can help each other _and_ we’ll be there for your sister, whatever it takes.” With a small nod, she reached out slowly to take Waverly’s hand in her own, giving her a chance to pull back if she wanted. When she didn’t, Nicole laced their fingers together between their bodies and traced circles with her thumb on the back of the smaller hands, noticing Waverly’s shoulders drop slightly. 

“A month?” Was all the small girl managed to breathe out in response.

Silently Nicole wished she could put the words back into her mouth, not sure whether it was a good idea for Waverly to know how long she’d been gone, but she couldn’t take them back now and she would have found out someday anyway, so all she could do was remain stoic. 

“29 days.” Nicole nodded, biting her lip. 

“God.” Waverly breathed out, squeezing her hands gently. “It felt like so much longer.”

Even though she knew Waverly wasn’t joking, Nicole couldn’t help letting out a little breathy laugh. “Yeah, it really did.” She squeezed her eyes shut. 

When she opened her eyes again, Waverly was looking up at her with a slight glint in her eyes and she felt her breath catch in her throat at the familiar glow which always made her knees buckle. 

“Can I kiss you?” Waverly blushed slightly and Nicole blinked in shock.

“Wha- what?” She finally managed to breathe out. Instantly though, she regretted her surprised answer, as Waverly dropped her hands and stepped back.

“Sorry.” The small brunette mumbled, twisting her hand in the tank top nervously.

“Waverly-“ 

“I know, stop saying that so-.” She caught herself again. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” With a sigh, the small girl looked away, wishing more than anything they could go back to normal. 

“No. No you didn’t!” In a hurry, Nicole stepped forward, reaching for her hands again. “God Waverly you could never make me uncomfortable. _I’m_ the one who is sorry. I’m sorry I’ve been walking on eggshells, I know how much you hate that.” She gave a little goofy smile down at the small girl who blushed and giggled.

“I do hate it.” She shrugged with a small giggle, licking away a tear gently which rested on her lip. Nicole felt her heart leap at the sound of the soft giggle. Instantly she felt shy again, as though she’d been given this big opportunity, she’d been given the chance to love and protect Waverly Earp the way she deserved. It was the same feeling she’d had after their first kiss, the butterflies mixed with nerves, the excitement laced with the fear she wouldn’t be enough, she wouldn’t be deserving enough. 

“Can I show you something?” She wet her lip slightly, nervously biting down on it.

“Of course.” Waverly replied and Nicole lifted one of the girls hands to the back of her neck. For a moment she left it there, then she shut her eyes and pulled her hair up into a bun before turning slowly to show the tattoo. 

Even though she couldn’t see Waverly’s face, Nicole heard a small gasp leave the girl’s lips and gentle, soft fingers trace the outline of the gun. They stood in silence for what felt like a lifetime, the tall girl becoming increasingly unsure about how Waverly really felt about it. Each time Waverly’s fingers traced the line again, she got more and more restless. Just as she was about to say something, she felt soft lips press against it and her shoulders dropped slightly at the touch. Only when Waverly dropped back from her tiptoes did Nicole let herself finally turn to face her.

There was a second of breathless silence as they looked into each others eyes.

“What do you-“ before Nicole could finish, Waverly leant up and connected their lips - softly at first and then with intent. Without hesitation, Nicole let herself sink into the kiss, gently resting her hands on Waverly’s hips, trying not to pass out from how breathless she felt in the moment. After a moment the kiss was over and Nicole stood speechless, her lips tingling and her jaw slightly dropped as she looked at Waverly as though the girl had just invented time travel. 

“I - wha- what was that for?” Nicole breathed out, blinking widely and Waverly just shrugged smiling.

“I missed you.” With that Waverly blushed and looked down slightly.

“I missed you too Waves, so much.” Nicole stepped forward, placing her hands back on Waverly’s hips gently.

“And I really like it.” The brunette paused. “The tattoo. It’s, you got -“

“Your gun.” Nicole smiled sheepishly. “It’s your gun and a wave. I wasn’t sure if it was a little cleshé but I didn’t care really.” She shrugged.

“And it’s on your neck where-“

“Where your hands would be.” Nicole bit her lip. “You don’t think it's stupid?” She reached up and scratched at her neck wordlessly.

“No! Of course not, I love it! I wasn’t expecting it, but I love it, it’s beautiful!” Waverly rambled and Nicole tried not to let her jaw drop again. Everything felt too good to be true right now. Waverly was home, wearing _her_ pyjamas, in the homestead kitchen and Waverly had kissed her and Waverly was home and she liked the tattoo and Waverly was home and she was rambling and giggling like usual and _Waverly was home._

“Yeah?” She breathed out, in awe. 

“Yeah.” Waverly stepped forwards. “Why though?” She raised a brow, connecting their hands again.

“I -“ Nicole was about to say she didn’t know, but she _did_ know and she felt like Waverly deserved the truth. “You’d been gone for two weeks and I’d only just managed to sleep in my bed again for the first time.” She bit her lip, shivering a little. “It was before Wynonna and I had really started talking again.” Silently, she hoped Waverly wouldn’t ask more about that part. She didn’t. “I felt alone, more than I ever had before. All I could think about was what if we couldn’t do it, if we couldn’t get you back, and I didn’t know what I would do. It was the only way I could think to have you with me all the time, to remind me to keep trying. I would have kept trying for the rest of my life Waverly. That was what scared me the most.” She brushed her hand across Waverly’s cheek, wiping a small tear.

“Woah Nicole. I… I had no idea. I didn’t even know. I mean you were, you were there, in the garden with me, I saw you, it doesn’t even make sense.” She shook her head, backing away slowly.

“Hey, no it’s fine, you’re here now. That’s all that matters. We can talk about that later, but you’re here and that’s literally the only thing in the world I care about right now.” She offered a smile, trying to reassure the small girl.

“It’s not fine. It’s-“

Nicole squeezed her arm gently. “I love you Waverly, I always will.” 

Something inside Waverly shifted and she was back in the garden, her eyes flicked around the room panicking, waiting for Champ or Jolene or Willa or daddy to burst through the doors and rip Nicole away from her. 

“Waverly?” Nicole noticed the panic and felt the same feeling bubble up inside her. Had she gone too far? Waverly seemed fine, she seemed normal and loving and she kissed her, should she not have said that? But she kissed her and she asked and-

“What did you say?” Waverly’s eyes were wide.

“That I love you?” Nicole asked gently.

“No. Did you hear that?” Waverly’s eyes snapped to the window.

“What Waves? Hear what? It’s just us here, you’re safe.”

“No. No this isn’t real. You’re not here, it’s the garden. God I fell for it again.” Waverly felt her back begin to ache and her eyes widened as she realised what was happening. "I can’t- I can’t do this. I’m sorry!” Before Nicole even knew what was happening, Waverly shook her head and ran towards the door sobbing. 

“Waverly wait!” She called after her, but the door slammed and the girl was gone. Again.

“SHIT!” Nicole batted her hand across the table, sending the three bowls flying against the wall, two of them shattering to the floor. She ripped open one of the cupboards and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, taking a huge swig and slamming down into a chair, resting her head in her hands. 

“Nice one Haught.” She muttered to herself, lifting up to take another swig, not even flinching at the strength of it. “You just got her back and you’ve fucked it up already.” Her eyes shot open. Waverly had just gotten back from the garden and now she was out and alone in the winter snow in her pyjamas which were not thick enough, even for someone who liked the cold let alone Waverly - bonus blanket - Earp. 

Grabbing her keys and one of Wynonna’s jackets, Nicole slid the bottle away and jumped up, sprinting to the door. If anything happens to her, it will be my fault, was all that played on a loop in her head as she waded out into the snow, calling out her name over and over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo Nicole lost Waverly this time...
> 
> honestly this is as far as I had planned in the fic - only have a couple more ideas so I'd say this will be about 10 chapters long and HOPEFULLY will all be finished before July 26th when OUR SHOW COMES BACK!!
> 
> Honestly no one cares about this anymore because THE SHOW IS COMING BACK but here it is anyway hahaha 
> 
> feel free to be my friend on social media @waverly_angel_earp (insta) or @charzpov (twitter) love you <3 x


	7. Chapter 07

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly has an important conversation with her sister.  
> Nicole and Waverly go to see Valdez.  
> Jeremy and Robin make a scary and cruel realisation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a conscious decision in regards to Waverly in this chapter. I realised that whilst she would be struggling when coming back from the garden, she is still Waverly Earp. I didn't want to make her weak or passive in the final resolution of the garden, realistically Waverly is smart and driven and brave and she would want to help and not just sit by.
> 
> I hope that somewhat explains the direction this chapter is taken in. Obviously she's not 'back to normal' whatever that even means, but she also isn't entirely useless or weak either. It's a journey and the struggles will still be addressed.

A week had passed since they had opened the garden and gotten Waverly back, but little had changed. That first evening Nicole had found Waverly with very minimal difficulty; the small girl hadn’t gone any further than the barn and Nicole had heard the soft crying almost instantly. They hadn’t spoken at all that night; Nicole had just taken her upstairs and put her to bed, staying when Waverly hadn't let go of her arm.

Since then, Nicole had been sleeping on the couch in the homestead. They had tried sleeping in the same bed that first night, but Waverly had woken up in the middle of the night, freaking out and Nicole had ended up in a bundle on the floor. Ever since then, Waverly had been even more protective about intimacy. It felt like they’d taken ten steps back and Waverly would only kiss her cheek now.

Nightmares were haunting Waverly, but she hid them from Nicole. All of them had been about loosing Nicole or Wynonna and it had always been her fault. The garden had ripped open the scars which jolene had burned into her skin when she had whispered with her sharp tongue and cutting words into her ear. Everyday she had cursed herself for not sharing them with Nicole, her other half, because that's what she was, _the other half_ keeping her balanced, grounded, strong and safe. But Nicole's balance and grounding had been slipping recently, and Waverly was scared to push her further, to send her toppling over. She had so much going on at the moment and Waverly was selfless, everyone else came before her in the hierarchy of her own mind. She felt an uncomfortable guilt, a feeling of selfishness for hiding it her feelings, even if it was for the best. She knew Nicole had shared everything with her, but she was only hiding it to protect her, right? She felt even more guilty that a part of the reason she didn't want to tell Nicole is because she couldn't handle it if Nicole lost her balance, it would uproot the security Waverly needed, so she was selfish in needing Nicole to be strong now, for her.

This morning was no different, as Waverly rounded the corner from the stairs, her entire body covered by a huge fluffy dressing gown, she could already hear Wynonna stomping around the kitchen, angrily making breakfast. To her right she could see the redhead with her head in her hands, clearly having been woken up by the noise. 

“Wynonna?” The smell of burnt toast caused her to wrinkle up her nose, but she smiled softly anyway. Only her sister could burn toast every single time. 

“Huh? Oh hey babygirl - there’s more bread over there, I’ve gotta jet to the station. I asked Jeremy to run some tests on the soil under the stairs and they’ve come back! I’ll be back this evening! See ya.” A piece of unbuttered, plain toast hung from her mouth as she pulled her jacket on and hurried out of the door before Waverly even had a chance to reply. 

Waverly watched with wide eyes and her jaw dropped and she doesn’t hear Nicole shuffle into the kitchen behind her.

“Waves?”

“It’s a _Saturday_.” Without hesitation, Waverly turned to face her, her mouth open and closing and her eyebrows high on her face.

“She’s just finding ways to cope Waves. And I can stay here today if you like?” Nicole smiled hopefully.

The hardest thing about the past week had been having to force herself to leave Waverly at the homestead, and to believe the small girl when she said she’d be fine. She had been furious with Wynonna when the brunette had gone to the station before her the Monday morning. As the new Sheriff she had no choice but to go into work, her job couldn’t be done from the homestead living room. Wynonna’s however could be, but she had insisted she needed to see Jeremy in person to work on the results and Nicole had never seen her so invested in anything. Usually she would just show up to hear the answer and then go somewhere to do something more physical like arresting people or yelling at people. The Sheriff knew that Wynonna was just trying to get out of the house because seeing Waverly reminded her of who hadn't come back. It didn't just mean they had to leave Waverly along though, Nicole also knew how much it was hurting Waverly that her sister didn’t seem to care about her at all since being home. Robin had been spending time here at Nicole’s request, to keep an eye on Waverly and to make sure she didn’t freak out or get bored, but it wasn't the same as having her older sister.

“Yeah I would like that.” Eventually Waverly smiled, leaning up to peck her cheek lightly. Nicole couldn’t help the bush which formed every time Waverly voluntarily kissed her, even if it was just on the cheek, she wouldn’t _ever_ take it for granted again. 

“Alright then, how about we watch a film? I’m pretty sure Wynonna stole the spice girls musical from your collection so it’s down here.” She winked, moving to start up the coffee machine.

“Actually do you have the ring?” Waverly said it so casually that Nicole almost smacked her head off the cupboard door as she turned around. 

“I - the uh, the what?” Her voice caught and tasted sour, the words burning out. She had no idea why Waverly wanted it, but she knew that ring was trouble and she wasn't sure why, but suddenly she didn’t want it back from Valdez at all. Deep down she was certain it had something to do with the fact she was terrified Waverly would propose again and she wasn't ready to have that discussion yet, now really wasn't the time, not when they could only just steal tiny touches here and there.

“The ring, my fathers ring. Do you have it?” Waverly clarified even though Nicole didn’t need her to. The redhead’s mind was too slow this early in the morning to understand exactly what was going on, she couldn’t quite believe these bold, confident words were coming out of the girl. In truth, this was _exactly_ the way _her_ Waverly Earp, who had gone into the garden, would have behaved - brave and straight to the point - but she’d been so quiet and distant since being back, Nicole wasn't sure she’d ever see that feisty side of her again. But here she was, arms folded, brow raised expectantly, as if nothing was astray.

“I uh, no I gave it to Valdez.” She scratched her neck, putting down the mug and blushing slightly at the fact she’d given it away.

“Why did you do that?” Waverly scowled slightly and Nicole began to panic slightly - something which was happening too often since Waverly had returned - she was panicking that Waverly thought it meant she didn’t want to marry her, or that she didn’t care. She already thought that Wynonna didn’t care, the last thing she needed was fo the small girl to think she didn’t care either, because the reality was it was all she cared about at the moment. 

“Well I… I didn’t want to give it to her.” Nicole eventually began, but Waverly just tilted her head squinting and she sighed. “It was the only way to you know… open the thing.” She bit her lip, frustrated. “I meant to get it back straight after, but I was a little distracted.” 

“Do you think she’ll give it back now?” Waverly smiled reassuringly.

“I mean she said she would so I don’t see why not.” Finally catching her composure again, Nicole shrugged and resumed making coffee, her hands shaking from the lack of caffeine and the shock of the question. 

“Can we get it?”

Nicole turned and leant against the counter gently. “You mean you want to go and get it back?” 

“Yeah why not?”

“Like as in leave the house and drive to her warehouse and get it back?”

“Yes Nicole, that is what I mean.” Waverly squinted and tilted her head when the redhead didn’t reply. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Waves you haven’t left the house all week.” Her eyes widened and she pushed off the counter, moving towards the brunette. “Which is totally fine and understandable, I know you don’t want to answer everyone’s questions, but I just mean I’m surprised is all.”

“Exactly. I’ve been stuck here all week and I’m fed up of just sitting around, I have to go outside sometime and it’s easier on a weekend when I don’t have to go to the station.” Waverly poked out her bottom lip and reached up to put her hands on Nicole’s hips. “Please?”

The redhead swallowed and felt the lump in her throat shift slightly, fading at Waverly’s touch. “Of course we can, I just... why do you want it?” She softened her voice and rested her hands in the small of Waverly’s back reassuringly.

“Because it was _his_.” She clarified, breathily. “And I don’t like the idea of anyone else having it.” 

“But I had it?” Nicole let the words slip before she could catch them, instantly regretting saying anything.

“That’s not the same. I love you, I don’t even know her.” Waverly said it so casually again and Nicole felt her entire world flip upside down _again_. She can see Waverly’s tanned face glowing under the dim lights in Shorty’s and her blushed cheeks when she pushed her onto Nedley’s couch. She can feel her heart racing the way she had when Waverly had unbuckled her belt the first time and her skin is electric like that time in the barn when Waverly had first turned to her for comfort.

“You - you what. What did you say?” She knew she shouldn’t make a big deal out of it, but she couldn’t help it in the moment. Waverly hadn't said that in the week she’d been back, not to her nor to Wynonna, and she was suddenly very aware that the last time she’d heard the girl say it was on the porch at the homestead the day she’d disappeared. 

“I love you Nicole.” Waverly’s face was serious as she spoke. “I love you and I’m sorry it took me so long to say it, but I have always loved you. I was just scared to say it.” She mumbled out the final part and Nicole felt like she would never breathe again, her entire body was made up of electricity right now and it was powered by the way Waverly’s hands felt soft and loving on her thinly clothed hipbone.

“It was worth the wait.” She breathily laughed in shock, noticing Waverly blushing. “I love you Waverly Earp and that’s never going to change. I think I loved you before I even realised it.” She smiled. 

“I can’t promise you what we had. I’m not sure what is wrong with me Nicole, but I promise to try, to really try because I love you.” Waverly looked at the floor, nervously toeing the wood with her socked feet.

“Nothing is wrong with you Waverly. You’re in shock, you went through something terrible and no one expects you to just be okay with that. But I’m here, as long as you want me, remember?” 

Waverly nodded, but looked back up with concern in her brow. “Something is wrong Nicole. You must have noticed too.”

Nicole squinted, trying to remember any signs that something was wrong with Waverly. Other than the fact she would kiss her and cuddle her, but wouldn’t sleep in bed with her, nothing seemed amiss. She was still feisty and kind and gentle and everything she loved about her; maybe she was a little less focused and driven, a little more cautious, but Nicole had just put it down to PTSD.

“And that’s why you want the ring? You think it will help?” Was all she replied, not giving a clear answer.

Solemnly Waverly nodded and Nicole removed her hands to rub her biceps gently.

“Okay... Okay, then we’ll go and see Valdez together and get the ring back.” She nodded with confidence and noticed Waverly’s smile widen slightly, but the concern still didn’t leave her brow. 

“Are we working on a case together?” The small brunette smiled with a hopeful glimmer in her eye.

“I guess we are cutie.” Nicole mused back, knowing the normalcy of it was all Waverly wanted from her. “You might want to change first though?” 

“Oh right yeah, good point - you too though!” Waverly smiled, hurrying upstairs and Nicole just stood there for a moment in sheer disbelief, unsure whether she should call and tell Wynonna or not. They really weren’t on the best terms at the moment. And that was _definitely_ an understatement. Nicole had gotten one Earp back and in the process had lost another.

* * *

“Alright nerdoid gimme something.” Wynonna folded her legs at the knee as she perched on the corner of the lab table, fiddling with a clamp of some sort which she had found nearby.

Jeremy sighed, knowing it was no use telling her not to touch things and also knowing Wynonna wouldn’t accept anything he had to say, but having to say it anyway.

“Well I went back and got another sample, like you asked me to.” He paused and she looked at him expectantly. “And-“ he sighed. “And nothing has changed Wynonna. Like I said last time, the soil is slightly more moist than it should be, less sandy and slightly more acidic - the pH was around 4 when it should have been between 7-8, but it’s not enough to suggest it’s been altered.” 

Before he could continue, Wynonna scowled at him. “Did you take it from the same place?”

“Yes _and_ from a different place. Both the same.” He added, tilting his head. 

A moment of silence passed as Wynonna furrowed her brow, considering what she could do next in this situation and Jeremy flipped the magnifiers back down onto his goggled and continued scanning the soil. He tried to ignore Wynonna’s foot banging against the table leg as she swung it aggressively forward and backwards. Instead he focused on pushing aside the small sample and pulling out the core he had taken instead. He knew Robin or Waverly would be more qualified to help on this front and besides he didn’t want to tell Wynonna anything to excite or disappoint her right now, especially at the risk of it being wrong.

He slid the glasses off completely, hanging them on the hook he’d attached to the side of his desk and turning to sit in the wooden chair and look at the older girl.

“Wynonna.”

“Hmmmm.” She didn’t look away from the poster of the lifespan of testate amoeba which was plastered behind him. 

“I think we need to plan a goodbye.” 

She didn't look down at him, instead she just shook her head showing no emotion. Again nothing was said for at least five minutes as Jeremy fiddled with the loose splinter of wood on the desk and Wynonna, maybe for the first time in her life, didn’t move a muscle. 

“Wynonna?”

“No.”

“Wynonna I’ll run out of soil at _some_ point and then what?” As the words left his lips, Wynonna finally snapped her head towards him and scowled. He swallowed, but continued. “Everyone wants him back, but it’s been a week Wynonna. The garden is gone. It’s okay to be sad, but we can’t hold on forever.” 

“I’m not Waverly, you can’t just say something nice and I’ll smile and give you a hug and it will all go away.” She growled, but Jeremy didn’t flinch, he had known where this conversation was headed when he made the comment.

“I know.” Steeling himself he sat upright in the chair. “I know, which is why no one wants to have this conversation with you.”

“Good.” She replied. “Why don’t you join them and shut up.”

“I think you should speak to your sister.” Was all he could say. When no response came he sighed and tried again. “Waverly misses you.”

“We have forever. She’s home and he isn’t.”

“Who isn’t?” Jeremy prompted, knowing full well who she meant, but wanting to hear her say it anyway.

“Don’t.” The bite in her warning tone which shifted to angry in seconds caused the young man to falter slightly.

“You haven’t said it since the day she came back.”

“So?” She snarled.

“Just talk to Waverly. Remind yourself what _did_ come back.” He stood up, moving out of the room so she couldn't argue and was forced to consider it. “And maybe then we can finally plan a goodbye.” He muttered, more to himself than to her. Even though she heard what he said, she chose not to comment, simply ignoring him and proceeding to stare at the wall and click the pen she’d picked up, letting him go with no protest.

* * *

Everything around her fell into a silent stillness as Nicole leant against the front door of the homestead watching Waverly saunter downstairs. The world seemed to shift into slow motion as she felt her eyes wander down past Waverly’s flowing brunette Waves to her long sleeved emerald velvet turtleneck tucked into her high waisted blue jeans and old converse. Her heart felt like it was the only thing moving in the world as it pounded and echoed against her ribcage and her mind tried to articulate the things her entire soul was feeling.

“Are you okay?” Waverly tilted her head slightly, snapping her out of the daze and the redhead realised her girlfriend was now in front of her.

“Huh? Yeah oh sorry, yeah I’m good, you ready?” Nicole swallowed thickly, trying to hide the blush growing on her face at how in awe she was of this moment.

“You sure? You seem a little spaced out?” Suddenly Waverly’s hand was on her arm in what she assumed was an attempt to ground her, but in reality made her entire body burn and light up under the touch.

“Uh huh, yeah, no I’m good. Let’s go.” She turned and grabbed for the door handle, fumbling a little as she could feel Waverly close behind her.

“Nicole slow down we have all day.” Waverly giggled lightly behind her and Nicole almost felt her entire legs give in as she held herself up with the door. Ever since the first time she’d met Waverly she knew that the sound of her laughter was the most magical, musical sound she’d ever heard. It never failed to give her butterflies. Especially when she hadn’t heard it in over a month.

“Right yeah, my bad.” She mumbled, finally getting the door open and trying to stop her shaking legs from giving way as she made her way to the car. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? What’s going on?” Waverly smiled softly when Nicole finally turned to face her in the front seats of the squad car.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, it just caught me off guard. I don’t know why I'm being such a space case.” She forced out a laugh, shaking her head at herself. They’d been together almost two years now, but Waverly had somehow just made her feel like she was twelve and waiting to ask her crush on a date. Or like she had just moved to a new town and the most beautiful woman in the room had just made her way down the stairs as her turquoise dress flowed behind her. She’d never been twelve with a crush, it had always been Waverly. Waverly Earp was the only one who _had_ ever and _could_ ever make her feel this way. 

“What did?” Waverly asked with a genuine curiosity in her furrowed brow and squinted eyes. For a second Nicole had forgotten that Waverly never understood the impact she had, never knew how beautiful she was or how much she instantly meant to everyone who met her. She also forgot that a month in the garden and the reappearance of Jolene could probably make her feel worse than she ever had and the absence of her sister probably wasn’t helping. 

“You did.” She smiled, relaxing slightly. Waverly’s brow raised and her eyes widened, causing Nicole to soften and reach out a hand for the smaller girls thigh. “I just missed you so much.” 

“I missed you too.” Waverly smiled sweetly and rested her smaller hand on top of Nicole’s.

“No I mean I _really_ missed you, _so_ much.” Nicole stressed, trying to remind the small girl how much she loved her.

“I know Nicole.” Waverly laughed lightly and Nicole’s heart leapt into her throat again. She shook her head lightly, forcing it back into place so she could find words.

"I'm just... I need you to know that you mean the world to me and I'm never going to take what we have for granted ever." She squeezed her eyes shut, but barely had time to take a breath before Waverly's lips pressed against hers gently and her eyes shot open. Waverly's were closed now though, so she shut hers again and leant into the kiss. It barely lasted a 5 seconds but it took her breath away. 

"Yeah that... uh that's, that's what I was trying to say." She shook her head with wide eyes and Waverly laughed and pecked her lips quickly. 

"Come on, sooner we get that ring, the quicker we can get back and watch the spice girls musical." She patted Nicole on the shoulder and turned in the car seat to face the front again. Finally Nicole swallowed and turned to take the wheel, her eyes blinking in shock. She had no idea what had gotten into Waverly. She would never say anything, but it took everything in her not to get her hopes up - they still hadn't seen anyone else yet and she had no idea what getting going that ring back would mean.

For now, Waverly seemed normal and happy which was rare since her return. She'd been so back and forth Nicole felt dizzy trying to keep up. One minute she would be there, cuddling her and the next she would be crying about someone coming to take them away from her. Before today though she hadn't said I love you, that was new.

Half an hour of driving later they were pulling into the parking lot of Valdez's offices and it looked exactly the same as before, almost eerily so. Nicole shuddered at the memory as she slid out of the car.

Without hesitation, Waverly's hand found its way into her own and she could feel the small girl trembling slightly. She stopped just outside the door and turned to face her. 

"I don't know what's in there, but remember we can leave whenever you want and I can get the ring another time okay? You decide." Nicole clarified with a serious face and Waverly just swallowed and nodded. 

Slowly they walked into the first room and Nicole was relieved to see that the mind map of connections was gone, which meant Waverly wouldn't see her connection to Bulshar. Not yet anyway, she needed time to figure out how to tell her and when to tell her. In its place was what looked like slides, detailing long tubular diagram like things with lines and different tones throughout them. 

"Sedimentary records." Waverly sighed beside her. Nicole looked down at her, squinting in confusion.

"They're scans of peat cores, or lake cores or something." She paused, running her hand along them gently. "I took a geography module online." She shrugged and Nicole smiled, entirely unsurprised.

"Let's just keep moving, I don't want to be here any longer than we have to be." Nicole squeezed her hand, pulling her towards the door.

There was no response when she knocked, so she tried the handle and it opened into the plush office which sat empty.

"You know the security here is really awful considering how important this stuff seems." Waverly mused aloud.

"To everyone else it's just a warehouse." A voice came from behind them and Waverly gripped Nicole's hand so hard the redhead swore she actually heard her hand break.

Once they saw Valdez standing there they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jesus, how many secret doors are there in this place." Nicole hissed angrily. 

Ignoring her, Valdez continued. "Besides it's usually locked, but I knew you were coming." She moved past them, her vibrant blue suit almost neon against the harsh warehouse lighting as she took a seat at the desk. 

"You did?" Waverly asked, finally loosening her grip on Nicole's hand, much to the redhead's relief. 

"Yes. You're here for this." In one quick movement, Valdez opened the drawer and held up the ring. Waverly's grip tightened again and this time Nicole couldn't hide her reaction. 

"Ah, Waves." 

"Oh crap sorry." Waverly loosened her grip and smiled apologetically at Nicole, before stiffening up as she caught sight of the ring again. 

"Great we'll just be going then." Nicole held her free hand out.

"The forest is changing." Valdez closed her grip around the ring and Nicole scowled at her, but refrained from commenting. Yet.

"Changing?" Waverly scowled as well.

"Yes. I'm not sure how yet, but you've seen my progress next door." They nod. "I need to make sure the ring is safe. We don't know it's power yet."

"It will be." Nicole assured her, holding her hand out again. 

Valdez shook her head and stood up.

"She can't have it. It's too risky." Valdez nodded towards Waverly and Nicole stepped forward defensively.

"With all due respect, that isn't your decision to make. It's her ring and if she wants it then you give it to her." 

"Actually it was Julien's ring." Nicole clenched her jaw. "And you gave it to me, so now it's my ring." Finally Nicole dropped Waverly's hand. 

"I gave it to you on the assurance you would give it back once she was home." She spat out.

"I also assured you she would turn to stone." Without hesitation, Valdez retorted. "Which she didn't. People make mistakes." Her face looked almost apologetic as Waverly reached back for Nicole's hand again.

"Well then don't make _this_ mistake, and give us the ring." Waverly replied with a confidence which surprised Nicole. 

"Give Waverly the ring." Nicole echoed.

"Even if she ends up back in the garden?" The words hit Nicole like a hammer to the face and she felt Waverly's hand go slack in her own. 

"It's... it's gone." Waverly managed after a moment of silence. 

Valdez simply shook her head. "Quite the opposite. It's getting closer. It's looking for something... _someone_." She raised a brow implying who she meant and Waverly began to shake her head, tears threatening to spill.

"No no no. You told me it was over, you promised me this was real. You, you-" she was cut off as Nicole leant towards Valdez her voice shaky and deep with anger.

" _I'll_ keep the ring. Give us the damn ring now!" She growled, her hand so close to Valdez now the woman had to back up slightly. Waverly was still shaking her head and panicking beside her, but Nicole knew she needed to get them out of this building before it got really bad. 

_Just when they were finally getting somewhere_ , she thought silently. 

"How do I know you won't give it to her."

"Do you think I want her to go back to-" she caught herself, looking quickly at Waverly before lowering her voice. "Back _there_." She hissed and Valdez sighed, holding out the ring. 

"Don't let it out of your sight."

"I never did until I gave it to you." Nicole assured. "Come on Waves." She dragged the shaking brunette quickly through the warehouse and back out to the car.

Once back at the car, Waverly started pacing and Nicole instantly recognised the signs of a panic attack which Waverly has been having a lot since the garden. 

"Hey, hey, look at me." She stilled her, but could feel the shaking. Waverly's mouth opened like she was going to say something, but all that came out was a sob. "You can't trust her Waverly, she said it herself, she _lies_ and I’m right here see it’s all real, every part of this is real I promise.”

Still, Waverly looked unsure, the shaking had calmed a little, but her head was still shaking back and forth and Nicole could feel her pulse racing as she wrapped her hands around her thin wrists, her eyes spilled with tears. “I love you Waverly. I love you and that’s never going to change, I promise you’re here and this is real and I’m here and I love you.” She pulled back a little to let the girl breathe. “Focus on what is around you and tell me what you see.” This tactic was something they used to use before the garden and Nicole realised it might work in this situation now. 

“I… the warehouse and your car and the car park and...“ She trailed off, crying again and Nicole stepped forward quickly.

“What else, be specific baby.” She encouraged her gently. 

“The signs, there’s streetlights and the trees and that bucket there and a puddle and three cars across the road.” After a pause Waverly let out a huge breath of air and Nicole copied, realising how tense she had been. 

“I’m here. For real this time.” Nicole squeezed her arms gently and Waverly nodded, slightly shaky, but less panicked. “Let’s get in the car, it’s freezing, just keep focusing on what you see and repeating the list in your head okay?” Again Waverly nodded, getting into the passenger seat. Nicole looked over quickly before driving to check and noticed the small girl’s eyes scanning the parking lot, clearly cataloguing everything to distract from her panicked thoughts. She smiled slightly, hoping it would work, and kicked the car into drive, not wanting to hang around any longer in case Valdez decided she wanted the ring back.

Just as they were about to pull onto the road leading toward the homestead, Waverly finally spoke, her voice quiet and slightly high pitched compared to usual. “Can we go to the station?” 

“The station?” Nicole repeated, certain she’d misheard.

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure? Why do you want to go there?” Nicole looked quickly to her right to assess the look on Waverly’s face which was something of a mix between determined and nervous.

“I want to speak to Wynonna.” Was all the small girl replied, never once looking over in Nicole’s direction.

“Waves, I’m not sure if-“

“Please.” Finally, she turned to look and Nicole caught the action out of the corner of her eye as she turned left instead of right at a crossroads.

The redhead nodded softly, swallowing. “Okay.” 

Together they walked through the front door of the station; they weren’t holding hands, but Waverly was close in tow to Nicole who stood somewhat protectively in front of her, shielding her from the view of those on front desk and in the bullpen as she made her way towards the office they assumed Wynonna would be in. 

Even though no one knew where exactly Waverly had been, they did know that the new Sheriff had avoided all conversation of the Earp sisters for a month and had - despite all of her trying - gotten short tempered at the mention of Waverly. The people who worked for Purgatory PD might have been a little slow, but they all had to pass an intelligence test to get the job and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Waverly had been missing for a month. Neither of them wanted to answer any questions right now, not without some sort of well rehearsed answer, so they decided to keep their heads down and make their way hastily towards the lab.

“Waverly?” Wynonna raised her head from where it had been rested against the desk.

“I’ll be in my office.” Nicole nodded and squeezed Waverly’s shoulder before making her way around the corner.

“Can we talk?” Waverly looked at the floor as she made the request, knowing her and her sister hadn’t properly spoken since she had tried to explain that Doc wouldn’t come back. 

“Did something happen?” Wynonna stood up, turning to face her now.

“No.” Quickly the younger girl clarified, not wanting her sister to worry. “I just miss you.”

“I know babygirl I’m sorry. I just need to fix this then you’ll have all of my attention I promise.”

“Wynonna.” Waverly sighed as she spoke the words, moving towards her sister.

“We’re so close Waverly, in fact I think I’m going to go myself next time and get a sample! Might help get a new perspective and-“

“Wynonna.” Waverly said again a little louder this time.

“And then we can figure out how to get the stairs back and open it again. That way you can both-“

“WYNONNA!” This time she yells and Wynonna lets her hands fall by her waist as she stops talking.

Silence descends once again and its something that Waverly was all too familiar with since her time back. 

“You have to let him go.” She sighs softly. 

“How am I supposed to do that?! The stairs just disappeared, he’s gone but I have no idea where or how - I don’t even have a body!” She snapped and turned to face the opposite way, her back to her sister. “I can’t let go until I see him. I didn’t give up on you and I’m not going to give up on him.” Walking towards the back of the room, she leant against the desk with her back still to Waverly.

Slowly, Waverly walked up beside her, moving to sit next to her on the desk and look at the wall with her. Both of their hands rested slightly trembling in their laps.

After ten more minutes of silence, Waverly spoke, breaking the stillness. “He asked me to tell you something.” Before Wynonna could interrupt, she continued. “And I need you to hear it, to _really_ hear it.” She twisted her head to look at her sister in the final part.

“Waves-“

“Please, it’s important.” Waverly pleaded and Wynonna sighed, swallowing and nodded, looking down at her hands. “He wanted you to know he will cherish what you had and he wished he hadn’t been such a coward and told you how he felt.” She paused, smiling softly at her sister. “That he loved you, Wynonna. He really loved you.” 

“I can’t do this.” Wynonna stood up, moving towards the door. Her stomach twisted and made the whiskey and toast rise up in her throat every time Waverly said _‘loved’_ in the past tense and it felt like an attack which she hadn’t prepared for. It was hard enough to look at her sister without the guilt of what had happened, let alone having her sister doing exactly what she always did, loving and supporting her and telling her the man she loved was gone. Not dead. Just gone.

“Wynonna you have to.”

“No. No Waverly I don’t have to _do_ anything and sure as shit I don’t have to sit here and listen to his dramatic speech until he can stand there and tell me himself the fucking coward.” Wynonna stopped to turn in the doorway her arms folded in defence across her chest.

“He’s gone Wynonna. There is no way back. I’m sorry, I wish I could change it. I wish I could never go to the steps or put on the stupid ring or speak to Kevin or Valdez or whoever the hell she is in our kitchen. But he’s gone and I’m here and I need you. I need you to trust me because I can’t watch you do this to yourself for the rest of our lives.” Softening, Waverly makes her way over to her sister, stopping centimetres away from her.

“I never got to say goodbye.” Wynonna blinked, emotionless. “Again. Both of them. I never got to say _anything.”_ She bit her lip and looked away, suddenly aware of how close together they were in the room,

“You might still be able to.” Waverly said with a voice so soft Wynonna was almost convinced she’d imagined it.

“What?”

“He, _Doc-“_ Waverly clarified, saying his name for the first time since she’d been back. “Doc told me he’d seen Nicole on the outside once. I couldn’t see outside the garden but maybe he can? He’s with you in there Wynonna. I know he is, because I was with you and Nicole and Jeremy and Robin. We were all there, together. And the person he loves the most out of us all is you. He would do anything for you and he did. He sacrificed himself so I could come home. He wanted me to come home, to make sure you didn’t stop living.”

“What is it with stupid idiots and sacrificing themselves. Hero complex assholes.” Wynonna let out a laugh which quickly turned into a sob as she pulled Waverly close, burring her face in the top of her head and swallowing her tears.

“I know.” Waverly breathed into her shoulder, willing herself to be strong for her sister when all she could think about was the sad, humble way Doc had tipped his hat to her and the lighter burning in her back pocket right now.

“He gave me something for you.” She pulled away after a few minutes. When Wynonna looked confused, wavily smiled slightly. “He wouldn’t give up the hat.” She laughed slightly, shaking her head. “But he gave me this and I’m pretty sure it was meant for you.” She slipped her hand into her back pocket and pulled out an original 1940s Ronson silver lighter, dropping it I her sisters hand with a soft smile.

“His lighter.” Wynonna flipped it over in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the scratched JHH on the back and the small indent on the right side where he’d thrown it at the wall of Shorty’s in a fight. “He gave you his lighter.” She breathed out as more of a statement than a question. “What a softie.” Her voice was ragged and clearly masking tears as she toyed with the small silver lighter in her hand.

“The garden is gone, but you can still say goodbye Wynonna.”

This time, Wynonna nodded. Hesitant, and cautious, but Waverly saw what looked like a nod.

“Okay.” The older Earp bit her lip. “Okay, but I just… I need time first. I’m not ready yet.” Wynonna stated, although a huge part of her never thought she would be ready. How can you possibly say goodbye to someone who you still can’t believe is even gone.

“We have time.” 

“WE WERE WRONG!” Both sisters ran quickly into the corridor at the call, almost colliding with a sprinting and dishevelled Jeremy and Robin clearly bolting from the lab. Behind them, Nicole quickly appeared in the doorway of her office, her eyes confused and concerned. She hurried out and pushed them all back into the office Wynonna and Waverly had just exited, shutting the door behind them.

“What? Wrong about what?” She asked, Jeremy, but her eyes were fixated on Waverly, looking for any signs of how the conversation had gone. She saw Wynonna slip the lighter into her front pocket and smiled softly, knowing it couldn’t have gone awfully if she had it.

“The soil. I had Robin look over the sedimentary record.” He looked proudly at his partner before continuing. “See I’m great at the chemical aspect of soil, the medium pH being around 7, the higher the number the more alkaline and -“

“Jeremy.” Wynonna stated firmly, unimpressed by the babbling.

“Right, but I’ve never been good with dating so I had Robin check and see here.” He spread some slides similar to the ones Waverly and Nicole had seen in Valdez’s office over the desk. Everyone nodded in sync. “These tell us how long the soil has been here,” He nods to Robin to takeover.

“This line here shows it was a glacial period - an ice age.” He clarified when Wynonna looked confused. “Because you can tell from the till _here_ that things were washed through it meaning this was a tropical period, whereas here the density shows it was compact rather than flowing. Put simply.” He clarified, knowing it was more complex, but they really didn’t have time for a geography lesson. “So basically we can see the makeup of the soil and this top layer, see how discoloured it is comparatively. It’s supposed to be dry and sandy - at least that’s what we’d expect, and relatively high pH, but it’s moist and acidic. This is new soil and it wasn’t here in the last sample we took a couple of days ago.” He finished on, standing up now so he wasn't crouched over the samples.

The rest of the room remained quiet, pouring over the scans, trying to make sense of everything.

“So what if there is new soil? Could have just been blown by the wind.” Nicole suggested.

Waverly shook her head. “No this was put there somehow.”

“Who the hell would put soil in the forest?” Wynonna huffed out.

“Maybe not _someone,_ but _something.”_ They all turned to look at Waverly who looked as though a lightbulb was literally glowing above her head. “Nicole and I went to see Valdez today and-“

“Back up a second you did _what?!”_ Wynonna snapped, her brow pointed at Nicole who didn't flinch at all, still angry at her for the past week.

“We needed to get the ring back.” The small girl shrugged as if it was nothing. “ _Anyway.”_ She glared at her sister before she could comment further. “She told us the garden was getting closer.” She looks for reassurance in Nicole.

“You think the garden is putting the soil there?” Nicole raised a brow and tilted her head.

“Not exactly, I think the garden is burying the forest, it wants to turn Purgatory into the garden.” She looked down at the table. “Because I’m here.”

“And to stop it, the garden would need to be sealed permanently. To stop it from following Waverly.” A new voice drifted in and Valdez was leant against the doorway. “You figured it out.” She smiled stepping into the room, examining all of the shocked faces. 

“And closing it means…” Nicole began, looking over at Wynonna who was glaring angrily, before her face softened in realisation.

“We would have to choose to lock him in there forever. To never have a chance at getting him back.” Wynonna continued. 

"We have to choose to let him go.” Waverly breathed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Wynonna is having a really hard time at the moment. Nicole still has to tell Waverly about her connection to Bulshar, Robin maybe has another part to play and why is Valdez still helping them? Oh and there's also the issue of the ring and Waverly being an angel and that kinda maybe sorta important question which she asked Nicole and they've been avoiding... so a few chapters left!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one and it made sorta sense - I'm honestly just making shit up now because I have 0 ideas other than what is inside the garden and the Nedley/Nicole/Bulshar agreement thing lol soooo let's just make shit up haha
> 
> feel free to be my friend on social media @waverly_angel_earp (instagram) @charzpov (twitter) and leave feedback in the comments below I always love reading it.


	8. Chapter 08

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna and Nicole have an important conversation...  
> Something terrifying is revealed about Robin's past...  
> Waverly and Nicole struggle with illusion and reality...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sooo sorry this is a few days late - I've had a really stressful time and it's been hard to focus on writing, but I promise to get better. I even planned out the last chapters now so I know where this is going <3 anyway this is all setting up for the end so I hope you enjoy the buildup <3
> 
> p.s TWO WEEKS UNTIL SEASON FOUR!! Can't waittttt

_The next day…_

An evening glow settled on the homestead, the warm amber light flickering against the antiquated chandelier and empty whiskey bottles on the bedside table. Everything was still in the late evening at the homestead, except for the gentle breeze toying with the feather’s of Wynonna’s old dream catcher above her head. 

“Wynonna.” A deep voice broke the tranquility and Wynonna bolted upright, her fist tightening around the bottle in her hand. Her shoulders dropped and she slumped back against the head of the bed when she saw who it was.

“Haught.” She mumbled, tipping the bottle back and downing a few swigs.

Nicole took a deep breath and crossed the boundary into the room, not bothering to shut the door since Waverly was asleep upstairs.

She stopped at the foot of the bed, looking down at the mess of a girl pressed against the headboard wearing an oversized t-shirt, sweatpants and socks with holes in them. There had only been a few occasions where Nicole had seen Wynonna like this, wearing these kinds of outfits, drinking alone in the house instead of at a bar. The protective, sexy persona was gone, she was broken and she barely looked like Wynonna Earp right now.

“I need to talk to you.” Nicole rested her hand on the brass metal rail at the end of the bed, but didn’t move forward.

Wynonna sat forward quickly, dropping the bottle to her side with wide eyes. “Is she okay? Did something happen? Where is she?” She burst out and a look of horror passed over her face. Nicole squeezed the brass bar, the cold metal grounding her.

“No. She’s fine, she’s upstairs asleep.” She replied without betraying any emotion, the coldness almost burning her hand now.

Wynonna sank back into the bed again, taking another chug of the whiskey and frowning at the redhead in her pyjamas. 

“Oh. What then?” She replied, her eyes locked on Nicole’s and squinted slightly into crescent moons that looked so like Waverly’s when she was angry.

“I -“ Nicole swallowed, straightening up. She looked over her shoulder and changed her mind about the door, moving back to close it and leaning against it.

“What are you doing?” Wynonna shifted so she wasn’t slumped in the bed anymore, but sitting upright, pressed against the headboard. She folded her legs up underneath her and watched Nicole like a predator does its pray as the redhead padded back towards the bed. 

Nicole paused just to the right of the frame, her hand instinctively on the brass again.

“I want to marry Waverly.” The words left without hesitation, without the shake she was expecting. They made her feel strong and proud and confident; it was the only certainty she had in her life anymore and it was all that mattered to her.

Wynonna’s scowl intensified and she put the bottle down on the bedside table with the rest of her collection.

“You what?” She growled, but Nicole didn’t flinch.

Coming into this, she’d known it was a risky conversation. That was exactly why she’d been putting it off, because she’d known the second Waverly had kissed her in the homestead kitchen that she’d wanted to marry her.

Before, when Waverly had proposed, Nicole had stalled, commenting on the ring whilst searching for a way to tell her it wasn’t the right time, that they needed to figure so many things out first. Where would they live? What did they want with their lives? What about children? Did they both want them? After Shae, Nicole had promised herself she wouldn’t make rash decisions anymore. She promised herself she had to be with someone, to really be _with_ them and to have lived with them first. All of the promises she’d made herself though drifted one by one out of her conscious when she met Waverly, when she met the _Earp’s_. Wynonna was as much a part of this decision as Waverly and herself was and she needed to talk to someone about it. She needed to talk to her best friend about it. A part of her was worried talking about this with Doc gone would just anger the girl more, but another part of her wondered if maybe it would distract her, give her the familiarity. She could make jokes about lesbians moving fast, or give her another shovel talk. She could do everything that felt familiar and real and distract from the insane situation which they yet again found themselves in.

There were so many things which needed discussing, but one thing was certain, she was going to marry Waverly. Nothing could possibly change about the way she felt, and the month they’d spent apart had reminded her that sometimes you had to take the risk. Waiting was time which they were wasting. It would be a risk, but the past few years of her life had reminded her that the best things in life happened when you took risks. They had also reminded her that life was unpredictable and the small pockets of happiness you had to hold onto with both hands. 

Waverly was her happiness, but so was Wynonna, which was why she couldn’t go on fighting with her forever.

“I’m going to ask Waverly to marry me.” She said with the same confidence. The weeks spent deliberating the idea solidified it into steel, holding her upright and giving her the strength to stand here and say it.

“I thought she already asked you.” Wynonna muttered, reaching out for her whiskey again. 

Nicole shook her head. “I never said yes.”

“Well, you’re an idiot.” The brunette muttered, a hint of frustration in her otherwise bland tone.

Nicole pushed forward and sat tentatively on the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle as she leant back onto her hands.

“Yeah, yeah I am.” She said, her voice breathy as she drifted into thought. 

Truth was she wasn’t sure she wished she’d said yes. It was too pressured by fear, she wanted to have a moment with love in the drivers seat not fear. To feel the hum of the axels of her heart buzzing and powering the engine rather than the fear of everything outside the window’s of their intimate bubble. Waverly deserved that moment. Truth was she wished nothing which followed that moment had happened, but it had and she couldn’t take anything back now, as much as she wished it was possible.

When she realised Wynonna wasn’t going to say anything, but she was just sat watching her, reserved and silent - almost threatening - Nicole sighed and shook her head. “Look I know you hate me right now, because you think I got the perfect life that was taken from you, but I’m going to do this, with or without your blessing.” She paused and watched Wynonna raise a brow. The look on the brunette’s face was almost indecipherable, but Nicole knew it meant she’d fucked up - again.

“That’s what this is?” Wynonna scoffed. “You want my blessing.” The older Earp couldn’t help laugh at the ridiculousness of the request; she had no idea why Nicole cared what she thought, she’d gotten Waverly back, that was all that mattered, they could go back to hating each other now. Or so she thought.

“No that’s not what this is about.” Nicole paused and pressed her fingers to her temples, rubbing softly. “God you don’t make this easy Earp.” She said with a small smile. “I know I don’t need your blessing, but I know it matters to Waverly that you care and-“

“Of course I care.” Wynonna snapped, shaking her head in disbelief. “Nicole all I care about is that she is happy.” Nicole nods, although she knows it’s not all she cares about or else she wouldn’t be sulking in her room and drinking herself to sleep.

“I care too.” Nicole’s voice lost some of its confidence now. “About what you think.” She ducked her head, to catch Wynonna’s eye, her hands twisting around the knitted blanket she was lying on.

“Why, I don’t understand why it matters what I think.”

With a groan, Nicole rolled her eyes. “I mean it’s not going to change the fact I’m going to ask her to marry me, but it _matters_ Wynonna.” She paused and sighed. “Of course it matters, you’re my best friend and I love Waverly, but I love you too. I know we fight, but I also know I wouldn’t be here without you - and I don’t mean just physically.” 

Nicole watched a look come over Wynonna’s face, something almost like love, but closer to surprise, before settling on denial and her shoulders slumped.

“Wynonna don’t shut me out.” Nicole pleaded, moving closer to the brunette on the bed.

The older Earp shook her head. “I’m not shutting you out, I just don’t have anything to say.”

A breathy laugh escaped Nicole’s lips in disbelief, “you always have something to say.” Quickly though she felt her heart drop and her mouth set into a thin line when she realised Wynonna was serious, she didn’t have a snarky comeback or a backhanded compliment.

“Not this time Haught, I’m all out.” Wynonna deadpanned and Nicole faltered. The light had dimmed further to an almost eery red now and Nicole shifted slightly, eyes flicking around the messy room. She had expected Wynonna to be angry, protective or maybe even a little excited, but not this, not defeated.

“Wynonna-“

“What do you want me to say Nicole?” Wynonna threw her hands up. Some of the whiskey sloshed into her lap, but she didn’t even flinch. “I’ve always known you were going to get married and I’m glad you got your shit together enough to pop the question, but I’m not gonna lie and say I’m happy about it, because I can’t do that right now Nicole.” 

“I know. I’m not gonna ask you to forget him or pretend to be something you’re not, but you’re the only person I needed to tell.” She twisted around in the bed so one leg was folded up under her and one hanging over the bed so she could push closer to Wynonna. She refrained however, for reaching out and touching her knee the way they would when they were breaking down over not getting them back, now it seemed futile.

“I can’t do this Haught.” Shaking her head, Wynonna pushed off the bed, but Nicole caught her arm stopping her. A warning look washed over the brunette as she twisted round, wrist still caught in the firm grip of her friend. “Haught.” She warned, not even trying to remove her wrist.

“Wynonna, everything Waverly said to you before still stands.” Nicole didn’t know what it was Waverly had said before the news, but it had seemed to work, so she stood and squared up to Wynonna, hoping it would work again.

“That was before _this_.” Wynonna growled, throwing her arms up in the air whiskey sloshing onto the wooden floor.

Nicole raised a brow. “Before what?” She prompted.

“They’re asking me to unplug his fucking life machine Haught!” The brunette stomped towards her so Nicole was almost falling back onto the bed now.

“No, they’re asking you to let go.” Nicole clarified with a soft look and the bottle clattered to the floor. She winced at the volume, hoping they wouldn’t wake Waverly upstairs, because she was sure Wynonna wouldn’t hesitate to give away what this conversation had been about.

For a moment she thought the brunette had given up, her face softened, her shoulders dropped and her hands went limp as the bottle fell. Nicole was about to say something when Wynonna lunged at her, sending her back into the bed and scrambling to push her off.

“Shut up!” Wynonna growled, bringing a fist down which Nicole managed to dodge with a quick move to the right. Another fist came into contact with her left shoulder and she tried not to call out in pain. Wynonna thrashed about above her, she couldn’t even tell if her eyes were open anymore and Nicole struggled to avoid her punches. After a moment of struggling Nicole stilled, trying not to wince as she waited for Wynonna to hit her again. Instead, Wynonna grabbed her by the collar of her t-shirt, lifted her up slightly and slammed her back down into the bed. 

“Hit me.” She yelled and Nicole’s eyes widened. None of what was happening made any sense, she’d expected Wynonna to be angry, to yell, but she would never have seen this coming.

“Wynonna.”

“Do it you pussy.” Wynonna backhanded Nicole across the face and the redhead hissed at the unexpected contact.

“I’m not going to hit you. Get off me.” She growled, pushing at Wynonna’s shoulders.

“Why not. It’s my fault Waverly was taken, it’s my fault he’s in there and he’s never-“ she pushed down on Nicole’s shoulder hard, “fucking-“ a fist hit into the redhead’s left rib, “coming” she was slammed into the bed again, “back!” She slapped Nicole hard and Nicole felt like her entire face was on fire from all the slaps, but the last thing she was going to do was hit back. Not like this.

“Alright! It _is_ your fault Waverly was taken, but she’s home and it is _not_ your fault he’s gone.” She dodged the next one, not sure how much more she could take without retaliating. “He went in there willingly Wynonna and he stayed in there willingly. Ahh-“ The jab to the rib caught her off guard and she yelped, before looking back at the door quickly for any signs of her girlfriend. 

“He’s an asshole!” Wynonna spat, her words stinging almost as much as her punches.

Nicole shook her head, swallowing away the pain. “Maybe, but he loves you Wynonna, he’s doing this for you and this is not what he would want.”

“Shut up! Everyone keeps telling me what he would want!” Wynonna lifted and slammed her down again, but each time it just hurt more - Nicole was convinced she could already feel bruises forming on her ribs. “What about what I fucking want!” She finished, yelling now.

“What do you want?” Nicole asked desperately, her eyes flicking around, trying to predict where the next hit was going to fall.

“Him! I want him Nicole. I always have and I always will. It’s always been freaking John Henry Holliday!” As the final words left, the brunette loosened her grip and Nicole pushed up, flipping them over so she was on top now. 

“Wynonna-“

“Get off me you bitch.” Wynonna writhed around, but Nicole pressed down, grounding her.

“Wynonna he’s gone. You have to let him go, you can’t keep doing this to yourself it’s not fair.” Nicole felt a knee to her hip and hissed whilst she adjusted so that didn’t happen again.

“I - I can’t Nicole. I can’t give up.” She shook her head erratically and Nicole sighed, shutting her eyes and ducking her head.

“You’re not giving up. I know you would fight forever if it was up to you, but can’t you see he’s made the decision for you. Doc knew that you wouldn’t make this decision so he made it - the same way he did at BBD a year ago. Let us make this decision for you, you’re not giving up, we’re going to say goodbye - together.” 

Wynonna’s body slackened beneath her's and she slowly lifted her hands off the brunette’s shoulders. Nicole moved slowly, steeling herself in case her friend pounced again and Wynonna watched with a frown, before rolling her eyes. “I’m not gonna hit you again idiot.”

“ _Well_ I’m not taking any chances.” Nicole teased, trying to lighten the mood slightly. 

Wynonna hung her legs over the edge of the bed and pressed her head into her hands with a groan. “What am I going to tell Waverly?” 

Swinging her own legs round, Nicole sat next to her, staring at the wall opposite. She raised a brow at the question. “About Doc?” There wasn’t anything Nicole could think that Waverly didn’t already know about the situation with Doc, so she was taken aback by the question.

“No about the fact I just beat the shit out of her soon to be fiancé.” What surprised Nicole the most was the seriousness in her tone of voice. The redhead leant down and picked up the half empty bottle of whiskey which had spilled on the floor and took a big swig.

“We’ll make something up.” She replied, wincing slightly at the taste. 

Wynonna’s head shot up from her hands and her jaw dropped. “You mean you’d lie to Waverly?!” Her tone was teasing, but Nicole knew that the shock was genuine.

“This one time Earp.” Nicole warned, but smiled anyway. She took another huge sip, before holding the bottle out to Wynonna as a gesture of a truce.

“I’m honoured Sheriff Haught.” With a huge sip, Wynonna smirked.

“Yeah don’t push it.” Nicole snatched the bottle back and took an even bigger swig.

Wynonna watched on at the way the redhead was drinking far quicker than usual and realised she was probably in more pain than she was letting on. “Where did I get you?” She asked, wincing at her own words. 

Nicole snorted, “where didn’t you get me.” She turned to face her with raised brows and Wynonna groaned. 

“I’ll get the coconut oil.” Slowly she padded out of the room and Nicole exhaled, finally letting out the tension of the interaction and lying back on the bed. She pressed her hands into her eyes, but felt the warmth from her cheek burning into her hand and knew she might end up with a small bruise.

It didn’t take long for Wynonna to be back and Nicole was alerted to her presence by the feeling of the bed moving. She opened her eyes and saw Wynonna on top of her again. Instinctively she pushed her away and Wynonna burst out laughing. 

“If you’re this touchy around me all week, Waverly is gonna know something is off.” Wynonna laughed, popping the lid off the tub of coconut oil and sitting back on her heels to let Nicole sit up. “I’m not going to hit you again, pinky promise.” She held out her pinky and Nicole linked her own whilst rolling her eyes. “Off.” Wynonna pushed at Nicole’s t-shirt and Nicole felt her cheeks turn the colour of her hair.

“Wynonna I- there’s not- I don’t have-“

The brunette laughed. “Relax, don’t take it all the way off then, just hold it up.” When Nicole still hesitated, Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Haught relax, no offence but you’re really not my type - waaaaay too uptight.” She winked and Nicole sighed, lifting her shirt to just bellow her breasts.

“I’m everyones type.” She mumbled to herself. 

Wynonna bit her lip as she saw the three bruises which were already forming. 

“How bad is it?” Nicole asked, trying to look down past her t-shirt. She inhaled sharply as she saw the small bruises, already knowing they would spread just from the pain she felt around the areas.

“It’s not that bad.” Wynonna lied, starting to rub coconut oil into one of them. 

Nicole winced at the coldness, but calmed and sat still as her friend massaged the bruises with a lot more delicacy than Nicole ever thought Wynonna Earp would have been capable of. 

“You know I’ve never had as many injuries in my life than I have since meeting you Earp’s.” She teased.

Wynonna stiffened and took her hand away for a second. “Don’t say that to Waverly, she’s always going on about how it’s her fault you keep ending up in hospital.” The girl said seriously and Nicole shook her head. She would have to tell Waverly about the Bulshar deal sometime soon though and she was dreading the conversation. Truth was she knew her girlfriend already blamed herself, even if it wasn’t true, so Nicole didn’t know how she would take the fact that Nicole had come into her life by some magical curse to protect her - it would break her if she felt like everything that had happened was her fault.

“I would never.” She said quietly. 

“Speaking of, have you told her?”

Nicole shook her head and Wynonna began to rub coconut oil into the next bruise.

“You know you-“

“Yes I know I have to.” Nicole growled and Wynonna raised a brow. “I just need to find the right way to tell her.”

“There’s never going to be a right way.” The brunette clarified and Nicole jumped a little as she hit a tender spot.

“When did you get all wise.” She replied through clenched teeth.

“I’m just saying, she doesn’t like secrets. Remember what happened with Mamma.” Wynonna’s face portrayed little emotion as she focused on the bruises. Nicole swallowed, she remembered exactly what happened with Mamma and how devastated Waverly had been finding out she’d been so close all this time. 

“I know, I’ll tell her.” Nicole promised, twisting her body to give Wynonna access to her left rib. She would tell her, she just didn’t know when or how, but it had to be before the proposal, that was all she knew. 

“So…” Wynonna began and the smirk on her face set Nicole on edge. “You got a ring for my baby sister?” 

Her shoulders instinctively dropped and she nodded her head with a breathy laugh.

“I spoke to Gus, she sent me Curtis’ band and I took it to be resized last week.” She smiled and a glazed over look passed over her eyes.

“Good. Have you thought about how you’re going to do it?” Wynonna moved to the last bruise without hesitation and Nicole flinched, pulling away for a second, before settling. 

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna do it here.” Nicole shrugged and Wynonna dropped her hand with wide eyes.

“Here?! On the homestead here?!” She hissed.

“Uh yeah.” Nicole tilted her head like a confused puppy. 

“I just figured you two would do something super romantic - like top of the Eiffel Tower romantic or here’s a spontaneous flash mob kind of romantic. Which actually would be pretty dope if-“ Wynonna trailed off realising the conversation she was about to have wasn’t funny anymore. She’d been about to joke that’s how she wanted Doc to propose. Without hesitation she pushed the thought away and smiled. 

“This _is_ romantic.” Nicole insisted. “She’s _home_ Wynonna and there’s nowhere I would rather be. This is the _only_ place that matters and it’s the perfect place to do it.” 

Wynonna scowled. “Ew.” But her lips twitched into a smile and Nicole secretly felt her heart flutter at the fact that Wynonna trusted her to be the one for her sister. She knew Wynonna never trusted anyone with Waverly, but she had more faith in her than anyone else and the thought made her heart burst with pride. 

They sat in silence as Wynonna moved to put a little coconut oil on Nicole’s cheek with a look which could almost be described as apologetic. 

“Nicole.” She broke the silence and dropped her hand, closing the tub. Nicole let her shirt drop and hummed in response. “I do care.” She swallowed. “Waverly was all I ever had, she was all I could rely on and I would do _anything_ for her.” Nicole nodded in understanding. “But now I have you too. And it took me a little while to accept that, because you weren’t stuck with me, you chose me and-“

“Actually I chose Waverly.” Nicole clarified with a wink.

“Shut up will you.” Wynonna growled and Nicole raised her hands in surrender. “Look no-one is good enough for Waverly, but you’re the only one who could come close.” She paused again, trying to find the words which was something she’d never been good at. “I just want her to be happy and it might not seem like it but I want you to be happy too. And you make each other happy. It’s early but there’s no point in waiting, you two were made for each other and nothing is gonna change that Haught.” 

Nicole’s eyes widened. 

“That was… actually really sweet, thank you.” She nodded, trying to swallow tears, because she’d never live it down if Wynonna made her cry about something like this.

“Yeah, if you repeat it, I’ll mame you before you get the chance for your overly sappy proposal.” She shoved Nicole’s shoulder and Nicole winced, pulling away. “Oh right yeah, forgot about that.” 

“Well I’m glad someone could forget about it.” Nicole scowled an Wynonna smiled at her sheepishly. 

There was an awkward air of intimacy which neither of them were used to. 

After a minute, Nicole pushed up to standing, her foot catching on a bottle and sending it across the room.

“Thank you.” She leant on the doorway, one hand hooked in the waistband of her sweatpants and the other on the frame.

“Take care of her Haught.” Wynonna’s voice wobbled as she said it.

“We both will Earp. Nothing has changed, she will _always_ be your sister.” Nodding, she pushed off and turned, catching Wynonna’s thankful nod as she headed back upstairs to her sleeping girlfriend who soon would hopefully be her fiancé.

* * *

_Late the next morning…_

“We’re running out of time Nicole. We need to do this tomorrow, and if she-“

“She will. She will help us, I know it.” Nicole promised the young, dark skinned man, rubbing her forehead with her hand. 

“Good, because Robin and I went back to the forest and you can actually sink into the dirt now there’s so much of it.”

Nicole swallowed and pressed her palms into the desk further. They knew something had to be done, that it had to be stopped, but they weren’t sure what exactly. Valdez - as usual - had provided no answers, simply more questions. Waverly couldn’t remember half of what was in the garden so couldn’t help and Wynonna hadn’t been into the office since that evening and none of them even knew what she thought about any of it. Nicole was stuck between trying to keep the town in order as Sheriff (with the help of Nedley) which left only Jeremy and Robin trying to figure it all out. 

“Here.” The three of them stood up and turned to the door as Waverly walked in and handed them each a coffee. 

Jeremy smiled as he raised it up in thanks. “It’s really good to have you back at work Waves.” He nodded. “Turns out it’s real hard to do all this without you.” Nicole swore she saw a gentle blush on his cheek and she smiled at the sight.

“It’s good to be back.” Waverly replied with a small smile, her hands wrapped firmly around her own coffee. “So have we figured out anything else about the dirt?” 

Robin pushed up from the chair and folded his arms over his chest. “Actually, the dirt is the same, but I have something to tell you. You might want to sit down.” Waverly squinted at him and then at Nicole, but the redhead just nodded and pulled out a chair, sitting down next to Waverly and resting her hand on her knee.

“Nicole and Wynonna found a warehouse when you were away-“

“Valdez’s warehouse.” Waverly nodded, knowingly.

“Right. But when they went there was a board with connections on it. All of the expected ones - you and Nicole, you and Wynonna, Jeremy and I - even you and Bobo.” He paused. “But there was another one. Bulshar and I.” Deliberately, he neglected to mention Nicole’s connection to Bulshar - the redhead had asked for time to tell her herself, especially since it wasn’t relevant to this discussion. 

“You and Bulshar? What kind of connection?” Her tone was entirely neutral, as her face twisted into confusion; Nicole increased her grip on Waverly’s thigh to keep her grounded.

Nodding, Robin continued. “Wynonna thinks, uh, she thinks that my dad wasn’t my dad and-“

“Andy? Andrew Jett? The guy who used to drive us to training and buy us strawberry milkshakes.” Waverly raised her brow in surprise.

“Y- yes.” Robin stuttered. “Yeah he’s not my dad.” He swallowed hard and Waverly’s eyes widened. There was a silence as no one knew what to say.

“So, who is?” Waverly raised a brow.

“I don’t know.” Robin looked at the table.

“BUT!” Jeremy cut in, squeeing his shoulder. “We’re working on it. We’ll find out, we’re good at these kinds of things!” He smiled over enthusiastically and Robin forced his own smile and nod. 

“Okay, so Bulshar? How is he connected?” Waverly furrowed her brow, scanning the room intently.

“Right. Well remember the barn at the BGD?” 

“Uh yeah.” Waverly scowled at Nicole, remembering the time she’d thought Nicole was proposing and the redhead just smiled sheepishly. 

“Well Bulshar was using me. Like an inside line.” Robin sighed.

“What?!” Waverly tensed under Nicole’s hand, she looked frantically between her girlfriend and the two boys opposite. “You were-“

“No!” Jeremy stepped in before her assumptions could run wild and widened his eyes at Robin encouraging him to continue.

“No Waverly I would never work for him. I had no idea, I swear. We realised he’d been influencing my dreams ever since the time- that time when he took me.” The young man only shuddered slightly at the memory, managing to keep himself calm. 

The brunette narrowed her eyes and felt her shoulders instinctively drop in disbelief as she scanned the people she loved. By this point, she knew she should be used to revelations such as this, but the cruel savagery of the world never failed to surprise her. Her memory drifted to young Robin and herself next to Champ, Stefanie and Chrissy all piled into the back of Andy Jett’s minivan on the way to the football games, bubbling with nervous excitement as the older man started chants which rattled through the van in an eager buzz. It had all been a lie. She couldn’t even imagine how Robin had felt when he found out, she was horrified and it wasn’t even her father. When she’d found out Ward wasn’t her father, it had been upsetting and a huge shock, but at the same time had answered a lot of the questions she’d had growing up - he’d never been her father even when he’d been alive. Andy Jett _was_ though, he had been a father, _Robin’s_ father and he’d been there for every parents evening, every sports tryout and he’d been so unbelievably supportive when Robin had come out to him. Waverly wondered if the old man had even known he wasn’t Robin's biological father.

“Robin, I’m so sorry, I don’t-“ she shook her head, her face softening, “did he even know?” Her voice faltered slightly as she almost whispered the words out.

The boy shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut. “I don’t know, we’ll never know.” When she looked at him with confusion, he sighed. “He passed away whilst you were gone. Heart attack.” He clarified and Waverly’s face fell. She’d been so preoccupied with trying to pretend everything was back to normal that she hadn’t thought about the time she’d been away at all.

“Oh Robin I-“

“It’s fine Waves.” Robin swallowed thickly. “He uh, Bulshar I mean, I’m the reason he had the upper hand that day, in the, uh, when you were taken.”

“It’s not your fault Rob.” Jeremy squeezed his shoulder and Waverly nodded in agreement, wordlessly. 

“Anyway it doesn’t matter. Bulshar is dead and all that’s left of him is… is me.” Robin swallowed, nodding. “Whatever he did to me at the slaughterhouse is changing me.” 

Waverly shifted, getting restless and frustrated with her lack of answers or understanding of the situation. A firm hand pressed against her thigh and grounded her as she tried to focus on the situation at hand and not let her mind wander as it had a tendency too.

“I don’t know what will happen to me if we seal the garden.” Robin said and the seriousness of his expression made Waverly feel like someone had taken a burning knife to her heart. 

“I don’t, what- what do you mean happen?” She stuttered, even Nicole’s hand on her thigh wasn’t reassuring her now, she felt like she was suffocating. Someone was going to get hurt at her hands again and she wouldn’t let that happen, never again.

“My connection to Bulshar, I think there was another reason he needed to get into the garden. He couldn’t survive out here as the snake, he needed the garden. It isn’t just coming for you Waverly, it’s coming for me too. Without it I’ll-“

“We don’t know that for sure.” Desperately Jeremy stepped forward, turning back to look at Robin then between the two lovers sitting down. “We don’t-“

“No.” Waverly stood up quickly. “We can’t close it, we’re not going to close it, not if it risks your life.” She said with certainty and Nicole stood up with urgency.

“Waverly we don’t have a choice, if we don’t then you will-“

“No.” The small girl squared up to her girlfriend who stiffened, holding her ground. “We’ll fight it, no one is going to get hurt. We wait for it to come and then we fight.” Her voice was high and piercing and didn’t at all reflect the determination plastered on her face.

Jeremy ducked his head. His reaction had been the exact same as the small girls when he’d found out, but Robin had explained it was the only option. None of them would survive if they didn’t stop it, it was either they took the risk or there would be no Purgatory left. “It’s a magical garden Waverly, it will bury us all in soil, we don’t have a choice, we can’t-"

“I can’t fucking believe you.” She cried, ripping away from Nicole’s hand on her wrist. “All of you! You-“ she gestured to Robin, “you’re just giving up, you-“ she pushed Jeremy in the shoulder “you’re too scared to fight for the person you’re supposed to love!” Jeremy winced at her words, but Robin squeezed his forearm willing him to stay calm and reminding him that he knew the words coming from their friend were fuelled by pure panic. “And you.” Her voice lowered from a yell now as she stuck a finger in Nicole’s face, raising onto her toes to look into her eyes. “You know what it’s like to loose someone to that, that place.” She hissed so the boys had to strain to hear what she was saying. “You know what it... how it felt, for, for me.” Her words were muddied by gentle sobs that were coming now. “And you’re supposed to protect people.” She said as she moved back slightly, eyes wide as if she couldn’t even believe her words. 

“It’s him or you Waves and -“ Nicole was cut off by a slap across her cheek and she bit the inside of her cheek, clenching her jaw and forcing herself not to react. She knew Waverly was taking it out on her because she was the one who would always forgive her, and because she was the only one who knew how serious the garden was. She wasn’t even angry. She was hurt. She was hurt that Waverly thought she didn’t care about Robin or was underestimating the power of the garden, but the dirt would bury the town alive and everyone she loved with it if they didn’t take this risk. 

No one said anything as Waverly turned and ran out of the office, not stopping to grab her jacket or anything else as she collided with her sister coming in the front door. Wynonna started and shot her head towards Nicole standing in the doorway of her office. The redhead could almost feel herself burning under the older Earp’s glare, and swore there was actual smoke coming from her nose as she charged towards her.

“Wynonna-“

“What the fuck did you do Haught, she was fine, she was getting better, she was-“

“Wynonna!” Jeremy pushed her off Nicole and Wynonna dropped her hands from the girl’s collar, still seething in her place.

“Go after her please.” Nicole pleaded, looking past Wynonna to the door. The brunette didn’t hesitate, she spun on her heel and charged out of the station after he baby sister who was walking quickly away from them. 

* * *

_Half an hour later…_

With palms pressed firmly into the kitchen counter, Wynonna steadied her breathing. It hadn’t taken long to convince her defeated little sister to come with her to the homestead; the small girl had been entirely unconsolable when she’d lay her on the couch five minutes ago and Wynonna hadn’t managed to understand any of the situation from the sobbing mess pouring out of her mouth. Now though she could only hear the soft ragged breaths coming from her sister next door and the gentle pour of the coffee machine as she made them both cups. All she kept thinking was that it was to do with the conversation she’d had last night with Nicole, that Nicole had told her about Bulshar and it had gone wrong and the reality was she had no idea how to comfort her sister on that front.

“Waves?” She asked tentatively as she padded back into the living room. “Here babygirl, sit up.” Putting the coffee down she helped her sister up into a seated position and the small girl tucked her legs into a cross legged position, reaching out for the coffee with shaky hands.

“Thank you.” Waverly mumbled, her thumbs rubbing up and down the side of the warm mug which she had folded her hands around.

“Can you tell me what happened? Nicole looked really upset with herself.” Wynonna ducked her head to catch her sister’s eye, but Waverly ducked her head and shut her eyes at the mention of her girlfriend. She’d _hit_ her. Everything she ever did was to keep Nicole safe and she’d just hurt her for no reason other than her own stupid, selfish rage. _Selfish_. There it was again, exactly what Jolene had told her in the garden. Everything she was doing at the moment was selfish. Alice had lost her dad, Wynonna had lost the man she loved, Jeremy was going to loose Robin and she kept hurting and pushing away the only person she had and it was all her fault. Little did she know that Nicole didn’t care about the slap, Waverly’s anger and disappointment hurt more than a slap to the face and the only pain that remained was in her chest, knowing Waverly had run away from her again. 

“Robin, he-“ she turned her head away, but Wynonna realised the situation and sighed a gentle breath of relief. As much as she mocked Nicole and Waverly’s relationship, if they ever broke up she herself would feel the loss, having to choose between her best friend and her sister.

“Oh.” Wynonna breathed in realisation, nodding softly as Waverly’s eyes shot up towards her, narrowing in shock. “Robin might die.” She said softly and Waverly’s expression hardened to anger, her fingers turning white against the warm mug.

“You knew!?” She sat upright and put the cup down onto the table. 

Solemnly, Wynonna nodded and watched her sister gape in shock and horror. “Waverly. He knows, Jeremy knows, we all know there is no option. This _isn’t_ a choice, the garden is coming and we have to stop it.”

"There’s always a choice.” Waverly argued firmly, her head tilted slightly and her mouth worked into a fine line. The fire cracked loudly as if mirroring her fiery stance, but neither of them flinched.

"Not this time babygirl. If we don’t do this, we’re all going to die, and so is everyone in this stupid town.” Wynonna teased, although the joke fell flat in the still, bleak atmosphere of the room as the reality set in.

Waverly swallowed, determined. "That’s a choice.” She managed finally.

Wynonna snorted at her sister’s unwavering determination, nodding softly. “I guess it is, but it’s not a good one.” She softened and reached out for her sister’s cheek, wiping a few tears away.

“I can’t let someone else die because of me.” Waverly started, shaking her head and gently knocking Wynonna’s hand away.

Wynonna swallowed hard. The last thing she wanted to talk about in this moment was Doc, _her Doc,_ and how Waverly blamed herself for everything that had happened to him, but she knew she had to push away her own hurt and help her sister. That was fine, it was easier than trying to help herself anyway. 

“Waverly Earp, look at me now.” She turned on her best 'older sister voice' and rested both of her hands on Waverly’s shoulders. 

Slowly, Waverly lifted her head from where she had been staring at the floor and her eyes connected with her sisters who were determined and glistening with tears. Waverly wasn’t sure if the tears were of love, pain, fear or concern, but she didn’t comment.

“Did you kill Doc?” The older girl deadpanned.

“What? No of course not! How can you even ask that I-“

“And did you kill Dolls?”

“No! Wynonna-“

“And are you going to kill Robin? Or Jeremy or Nicole or-“

“Wynonna what are you trying to achieve?!” Waverly snapped, pulling away.

“My point is Waverly, none of what happens is your fault. You didn’t choose to be an angel and you certainly didn’t choose the garden Waverly Earp.” Wynonna turned her and kissed her forehead. “Robin won’t die babygirl, we won’t let that happen, but the first thing we’ve gotta do is fix the garden and then we can work on undoing whatever Bulshar has done to him.” She stated firmly, with her eyes closed and forehead pressed against Waverly’s.

No response came from her little sister. 

They sat in silence for what felt like eternity until a knock on the door brought them back into the room.

Waverly pried herself slowly from her sister’s arms so they were sat facing each other on the couch.

Wynonna looked to the window and saw the squad car outside, knowing who it was instantly. “Waves, it’s Haught, do you-“

“Oh god Nicoleee.” Waverly shoved her head back into Wynonna’s shoulder and the older Earp stroked her hair. 

They heard another, more gentle knock and it brought them out of their slump. 

“I hit her Wynonna! Why does she even want anything to do with me, I _hit_ her! What the hell is wrong with me.”

Wynonna snorted a little. “ _I_ hit her Waves and if she forgave me, I’m pretty sure you’re all good.” 

When Waverly still didn’t look convinced and Wynonna saw the redhead turning to go back to the squad car, she tried a different tactic. “Waves she’s not mad at you, she’s worried about you. I bet she almost didn’t come because she wanted to give you space, but was so up in her head that she couldn’t stay away.” Wynonna rolled her eyes playfully. 

“I can tell her to go, that you’re okay, but you’d rather be alone?” Wynonna stood up to make her way towards the door.

The small girl pushed up off the couch and walked past her sister. “No. The last time I avoided her she almost died.” Waverly winced at the memory of the widows. “I’m done avoiding these kinds of conversations.”

Wynonna smiled proudly and made her way to her room. “I’ll be in here if you need me.” She smiled over her shoulder just as Waverly reached the door.

She pulled the door open and saw Nicole halfway to her squad car. “Nicole!” She called out hastily and the redhead spun on her heel instantly. 

“Waves.” The taller girl breathed out quickly and started back towards the front door. Waverly stepped down onto the porch folding her arms over her exposed midriff beneath her spotted crop top.

Once back on the porch next to her, Nicole shuffled her feet, mumbling her words. “Waves I am so sorry, I really didn’t mean to do anything that would-“

“Nicole.” The redhead stopped mumbling and looked up to see the glistening hazel eyes sparkling at her over tear stained cheeks. “I’m sorry, it’s not your fault, none of this is your fault and those things I said, I didn’t mean them, any of them I just panicked and-“

“It’s okay.” Nicole said softly. “It’s okay Waves and you were right, I’m supposed to protect you and I fucked it up once, but I can’t let that happen again. I love Robin, I don’t want anything to happen to him, but I’m sorry Waves if it came down to him or you. Hell if it came down to anyone and you I would always choose you Waverly because I can’t live without you and I know that now and-“

“Nicole breathe.” Waverly reached up to trace the redness on her girlfriends cheek. “I’m sorry I said those things, I wish I could take them all back, because they’re not true, they’re not!” She bit her lip softly. “What happened to me is not your fault Nicole. You got me out of there Nicole, no one could have stopped it from happening and you can’t blame yourself.” 

Waverly was shivering slightly in the cold midday air and Nicole noticed, leaning down to kiss her forehead and pushing away tears. “Let’s go inside baby, I need to talk to you about something.” 

Furrowing her brow, Waverly looked up, but took Nicole’s hand and walked inside anyway. They made their way to the couch and sat next to each other, Nicole’s chest rising and falling at a dramatic pace and her shoulders rigid. 

“Nicole what’s wrong?” Waverly’s brow furrowed in concern as she turned to face her girlfriend and rested a gentle hand on her knee.

“Robin wasn’t the only one who had a connection to Bulshar.” Nicole replied firmly turning to lock eyes with Waverly. She watched as the small girl’s mind shot instantly into overdrive, clearly assuming that meant she was as at risk as Robin was.

“Wha- what, what do you mean? Nicole I can’t, if you’re gonna - I don’t want to. I won’t. I won’t do it, I-“

“No, no Waves not like that!” The Sheriff reached up to put her hands on her girlfriends shoulders and calm her shaking. “Shit, sorry not like that, that came out wrong.”

“How then? How are you connected to Bulshar!” Waverly’s volume raised and Nicole felt her stomach flip knowing it was her fault again. This was exactly why she didn’t want to have this conversation. “Promise me it doesn’t involve you dying - again. You’ve got to promise to stop dying.”

Waverly laughed softly at the impossible request, but Nicole shuffled awkwardly in her chair. She knew she had to tell Waverly, she knew that the moment was set up perfectly. She knew that Waverly would slap her for the burning need to protect and cradle her since she left the garden, that fiery side of her fiancé was still very much present through it all. But she also knew how much this news had hurt and scared her and, selfishly, Nicole wasn't sure she could watch her girlfriend's face reflect everything she had felt when she had found out.

“It’s uh, it’s about the cult.” She swallowed heavily and felt Waverly stiffen beside her, turning to face her now.

“Nicole-“

“I’m just gonna say it and then we can talk about it after okay, I just need to say it.” Nicole was telling Waverly this more for herself than for her girlfriend. She hadn’t said it aloud since the morning she’d told Wynonna and she was worried she wouldn’t get through it all if Waverly interrupted.

“Okay, okay take your time baby.” Waverly stroked her cheek, before letting her hands fall and entwine in Nicole’s lap.

The redhead clung to Waverly’s hands tightly, attempting to hide her gentle shaking as she opened her mouth to speak. It took a moment, before she managed to find words.

“Nedley, he uh, when he found me. He made a deal with Bulshar. My life as long as he got something in return.” 

Waverly opened her mouth to ask what, but clamped it shut remembering Nicole wanted to just get through the whole story. Instead she softened and nodded, rubbing her thumb over her girlfriend’s knee. 

“He didn’t know what the deal was at the time, but Bulshar said something about needing to protect ‘her’.” She swallowed thickly. “I was mad at him, Nedley, but he was just a rookie and he wanted to save me. I can’t be mad when I probably would have done the same thing.” She sighed.

Waverly shifted slightly, she wanted to let Nicole finish, but was was getting impatient and more than a little worried about where this story was going. “What did he mean? Nedley had to protect you? From what?” 

Nicole shook her head, biting her lip. “You.” Nicole answered, her voice so soft Waverly almost missed it. Before she could answer though, Nicole continued. “Remember when you said it wasn’t a coincidence I came back here?”

Slowly, Waverly nodded. “Well you were right. Bulshar let me live so I could become a cop and come back here to protect you until… until you were ready to go to the garden.” Nicole finished and Waverly faltered slightly at the comment. 

“Woah, that’s uh, that’s a lot.” The brunette muttered, lost in thought and attempting to comprehend all the implications of the statement. “And that’s why you blame yourself?” Waverly asked with disbelief, her eyes teary as Nicole nodded.

“Because without me you might not have ended up in that place.” She looked away and Waverly almost coughed in disbelief. She reached up and took Nicole’s chin between her fingers, turning her head to face her.

“What was the other option? I died before I had the chance?” Waverly said seriously. 

“Yeah.” Nicole mumbled like a scolded child and Waverly smiled a little. 

“Why you though?” Waverly asked softly. 

Truth was Nicole asked herself that everyday. At first she thought that it was simply that she managed to get away from the camp, but the more she thought about it she wondered if Bulshar knew about her and Waverly’s connection. Maybe she had been wrong and that Bulshar hadn’t _made_ the connection, maybe instead he’d _used_ the connection. That was easier to swallow at least. 

“Maybe because he knew that I loved you before I’d even met you.” She forced a smile and Waverly shook her head with her own smile. 

Nicole’s smile faded quickly though and she continued. “But it means that everything so far, everything that I survived it wasn’t a coincidence either. It was him, Bulshar, he kept me alive, but now that he’s gone and you went to the garden I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what it means… for me.” She grit her teeth together and Waverly shook her head lightly. She was terrified at the prospect of anything happening to Nicole, but she also knew she had to be strong right now, Nicole was talking about the cult and that almost _never_ happened. She had to be strong.

“Nicole. The things you survived were because you were brave and you fought. He can’t take that from you and nothing has changed. You’re still all of those things, brave and strong and a survivor. And you’re still the love of my life Nicole. It _means_ we just have to be a little more careful. So no more throwing yourself in front of blades okay? Or widows, or bullets or literally _anything.”_ Waverly stroked her cheek, wiping a few stray tears with her thumb.

“I don’t know what’s real anymore.” Nicole cried softly and Waverly felt her heart break momentarily. “Everything in my life has been a lie, everything I’ve done has been for him, I don’t even know what I want, who I am!” 

“Hey _hey_. You’re Nicole Haught.” Waverly pulled her close and rest her head in her shoulder, letting her girlfriend break down and holding her tightly. “You’re Nicole Rayleigh Haught. You’re smart, and fiercely loyal and brave, so so brave.” She ran her hands through Nicole’s short red waves. “You’re sweet and gentle and stubborn - so stubborn.” She laughed softly. “You’re sarcastic and funny and although you’re confident and sexy you’re not afraid to make fun of yourself when you dance around the kitchen or put on stupid voices. You do everything for everyone else and don’t even think twice about it and it’s why you make such a good cop. You’re the best person I know Nicole and we have forever to find out more about you, together, if you’ll let me.” Waverly rested their foreheads together. “I want you to be able to be able to see everything I see, because that’s _all you_ Nicole Haught, all you and I love every part of you.” Waverly breathed out and heard a tear drop to the fabric of her jeans. 

Pulling back she looked at Nicole. The redhead was convinced she would propose right then and there, she would get on one knee and promise Waverly forever, promise to spend the rest of her life showing her everything and keeping her safe. 

“I love you Waverly Earp.” Nicole breathed and Waverly smiled.

“I know you do, I love you too Nicole Haught.”

“About earlier, I-“ Nicole started, but faltered when Waverly shook her head. 

“No you were right, there’s no other option, I just didn’t want to accept it, I couldn’t believe that the world could be that cruel.”

Nicole nodded silently and they sat in each others arms, safely, but sadly. 

After an hour of comfortable silence, Nicole cleared her throat. “Once this is all over, I want to contact my parents.” 

Waverly pushed back to look at her face. “What? Why?”

Nicole shook her head and shrugged. “I just can’t shake the feeling that maybe the way they behaved growing up wasn’t their own will, that it was _him_ so I would leave and come here.” 

Waverly squinted. “Nicole-“

“No. Robin just found out his dad wasn’t even his dad, so did you. I still have parents, I should be grateful for that and give them a chance at least.” She swallowed, nodding with false confidence.

“Nicole just because you _have_ parents doesn’t mean your situation is any better than ours.”

“You gave your mom a second chance.” Nicole tried.

“Yeah, yeah I did and she left me _again.”_ Waverly swallowed her own tears now.

“Waverly that’s not your fault baby, your mother has her own demons.”

“I know, it doesn’t matter, the point is that your parents were awful, they didn’t see the incredible kid they had in front of them and they don’t deserve you Nicole. You made yourself what you are today, without _them_.” Everything Waverly was saying was true, but she knew how Nicole felt right now and she knew that nothing would stop you once you’d decided to contact your estranged parents, no matter how intimidating it was.

“You might be right, but I won’t be able to let it go until I know for sure.” Nicole smiled sadly and Waverly knew the feeling all too well, so she did what she would want her girlfriend to do if it was her. 

“Okay, we’ll contact them together then.” She said with assertion and Nicole smiled thankfully.

“Right after we try and save the world _again.”_ Nicole teased, looking back to the door where Wynonna had just let Valdez into the kitchen.

“Let’s do this.” Waverly said with assertion, standing up to follow her love into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo will they save the world? And what does sealing the garden mean for them all and for the supernatural world of Purgatory? 
> 
> Nicole is gonna propose - how though? (I don't know either soo feel free to send suggestions haha)
> 
> Two more chapters left ;P stay tuned (I'll try and be on time next time promise)
> 
> Feel free to yell at me on social media I love that @waverly_angel_earp (insta) or @charzpov (twitter) and leave feedback below I love reading it :) x


	9. Chapter 09

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly confides her fears in her best friend...  
> The group figure out how to close the garden - and it's not what they were hoping...  
> Their actions may have even more consequences than they were expecting...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I'm not that happy with this chapter, because I'm definitely better at the more emotional or complex parts and not so good at the action stuff. BUT nonetheless it's important for this part to happen in order to get to the next - and final - chapter which I promise will be better :/
> 
> anyway, I hope this is good enough for you haha x

“No. You said putting it on risked her going back there.” Nicole pushed off the kitchen table and began to pace around behind them, her finger pointed firmly toward Valdez.

“Yeah and she might, but I don’t see any alternatives.” The woman replied, shrugging and leaning back in the kitchen chair, as if none of this even mattered.

“Well look harder then!” Wynonna slammed her fists onto the counter, sending coffee spilling over the edge of the mugs. 

“I’m not gonna risk it!” Nicole agreed. “There’s no fucking way we’re risking it.”

“It isn’t your risk to take.” Valdez dropped her gaze to Waverly curled into a ball on the chair opposite her. 

The small girl lifted her head from her knees and looked towards her sister and girlfriend both standing and looking at her with an almost pleading look in their eyes.

“I-“ quickly she looked away, unable to answer when they looked at her like that. “I think we’ve got to do it.” Before they could interrupt she hurried on. “I mean worst case, you got me back once, you can do it again right?” There was a hopefulness in her tone, but a glimmer of fear in her eyes that felt like a punch in the stomach.

“Waves.” Nicole pleaded.

“Hell no!” Wynonna spun to face Valdez. “No, you let her make the decision last time _Kevin_.” She spat the words out. "It’s not happening again, find another option.”

“You know I can’t do that it’s-“

“Yeah yeah, your curse. Well curse or no curse I don’t give two shits, my baby sister is not going back there.” She hissed the last part, as if Waverly wouldn’t be able to hear it even though she was sat a few feet away.

“You were going to do it when it was Robin.” Waverly muttered, twisting her hands in her lap. She knew it was a risky thing to say, but at this stage she just needed to get through to her sister. 

A look of guilt washed over Nicole and Wynonna as they both swallowed hard. Truth was Waverly was absolutely right, they were both far more terrified of failure if it involved Waverly. They wouldn’t admit that though. 

“Why?” Nicole said through grit teeth, turning to face Valdez. “Why will it help?” 

Waverly lifted her head and answered instead. “I need to put the sword back to close the garden and I can only do it if I’m wearing the ring.” 

Wynonna clenched her jaw. “So we don’t close the garden then.” 

“We don’t have a choice Wynonna.” Nicole muttered, pressing her head in her hands.

“Seriously?” Wynonna turned to Nicole now, her brows raised and mouth gaping. Of all the people to agree to this plan, Nicole would have been her last guess.

“We need to finish this Wynona.” Waverly interrupted. “We have one last shot to take this place out forever, we have to try it.”

Wynonna pressed her hands into her temples and exhaled sharply. “I really hate this plan.”

“Me too Earp.” Nicole sighed, resting her hand on the back of Waverly’s chair.

Abruptly, Waverly stood up and turned to face them both. “I’m uh, I need to speak to Jeremy, just to go over the plan again, I won’t be long I promise.” She forced a smile and kissed Nicole on the cheek before grabbing her jacket and scurrying away. 

The three remaining women looked between each other and out the window where flecks of what look almost like ash and dust were sprinkling like confetti from the sky. It was obvious it wasn’t ash though, as the sky was a greyish, almost black hue and it settled on the ground in a thin sheet of dirt. Everyone knew what it meant _they were running out of time._

* * *

_At the station…_

Navy suede boots bashed against the wooden table legs as Waverly sat on the edge of one of the workbenches swinging her legs. Beside her, Jeremy clipped together the pieces of some new face masks which would protect from the dust and grit in the forest. 

“I just don’t know what the ring is going to do.” She sighed, leaning back on her hands, legs swinging a few inches off the floor. 

“You mean other than letting us close the garden?” Jeremy muttered back, his eyes locked on the small piece of metal he was trying to weld into place.

Waverly picked at the splinters of the table behind her, twisting around to watch what her friend was doing. “Right, yeah other than that.” She mumbled, absently.

“Waves what are you talking about?” Jeremy lifted his protective mask up and flicked off the smouldering iron. 

“I don’t know what the ring is going to do, to _me_.” She swallowed, shuffling around uncomfortably now that she had Jeremy’s undivided attention.

“You don’t want to go back there?” He nodded in understanding and twisted to sit on the table next to her.

“No. Well yeah I obviously don’t, but its not that.” She sighed and turned to stare at the wall, absently. “I think, there’s something wrong with me and I think the ring is the only thing between me now and whatever is wrong.” 

Beside her she saw Jeremy raise his brows out of the corner of her eye. “What? There’s nothing _wrong_ with you Waves, it’s just shock, from being back here.”

“No, Jer there is.” She shook her head and bit her lip to stop her from crying. “I think… I think I have them, wings I mean. I just, I haven’t seen them, but I can feel them. All I remember between the garden and the forest was a burning pain and then it was gone. And then I was in the kitchen and Nicole almost saw the cuts and I haven’t let anyone see them, but its so sensitive and-“

“Waverly it’s okay.” Jeremy cut her off. “It’s okay, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m glad you told me actually.” 

Waverly squinted at him. “You are? You don’t think it’s weird.” 

“I have a psychic groin touch remember? Definitely not outside the realm of normal for me.” He shoulder bumped her. “I uh, I actually did a little research, because I thought you might have them, here-“ he slipped a notebook into her lap.

“This is all… about me?” Her eyes widened as she flicked through diagrams and notes and annotated cutouts.

“Well not you specifically, but half-angels yeah.” He leant over and flicked back a few pages. “See here, they appear in extreme situations, but first they have to be activated by something. I thought it would be the garden, but it makes sense that it would be the ring, that’s what did it for Julien right?” 

“Uh yeah, the ring and he was saving me.” She blushed a little at the memory. 

“So extreme emotion right?” 

Waverly bit her lip. “So do you think, uh tonight, they’ll, do you think we’ll see them?” She looked back at him with raised brows.

“Honestly? I think there’s a big chance of it.” He smiled apologetically.

“I haven’t told them. Wynonna and Nicole I mean, about the w...“

“You can say it Waves, it’s not weird I promise.”

“About the wings.” She sighed.

“We don’t have to, tell them, not if you don’t want to.”

“What?” Waverly furrowed her brow at him.

“I mean they’ll find out soon enough right?” He smiled. “It might be easier if they just see them, they’ll be distracted anyway, it won’t be as big a deal?” He offered the solution and she smiled softly, nodding. 

“Yeah, I like that plan.” She agreed, silently hoping they would be too distracted to even notice. As much as she wished there was a way to not activate them at all, she knew they needed to close the garden and that meant putting the ring on.

* * *

_10pm in the forest…_

“Holy mud hole, there’s more dirt here than there is in that old closet of Nedley’s we cleared out Haught.” Wynonna kicked her heavy boots, cutting through a layer of dirt so thick it came halfway up her shin.

“We were just here a few hours ago, there was only half of this dirt.” Nicole replied, squatting down to run her hands through the course dirt and letting it sprinkle back slowly. 

Behind them, Waverly, Robin, Jeremy and Valdez trekked through the dirt although on Waverly it came up above her knees and she stumbled a little as her foot caught on a rock beneath the dirt.

“How are we supposed to fight in this, it’s like I’m cocooned in the dirt of my enemies.” Wynonna said, dramatically flopping back into it as though it was snow.

“We’ve gotta be smart.” Robin thought aloud. “Our movement is restricted here, we’ve gotta avoid contact as much as possible.”

“Great! Demon negotiation - really ruffles my truffles.” Wynonna clicked her tongue and gave a thumbs up. 

Nicole squinted and tilted her head at the phrasing, but shook her head and shrugged it off.

“Actually I’m hoping there won’t be any demons to ruffle anything.” Jeremy shrugged hopefully. 

Valdez joined in, “if anything, it’s the dirt which is gonna be ruffling your-“

“Can everyone STOP saying that!” Nicole snapped, spinning on her heel from where she was a few paces in front of Wynonna. “This is serious. The entire town is at risk of being freaking buried alive, all of our lives are in danger and everything is about to get really great or a hell of a lot worse. So can we just once, please, take it seriously.” 

Everyone stilled as they looked at the almost hysteric redhead and Waverly felt her eyes well with tears. This was her fault. Nicole was terrified and hurt and it was her fault. Before the garden she’d never seen Nicole get so short tempered, not with Wynonna at least. Usually she was so patient, so controlled and professional, hell sometimes she even encouraged it to lighten the mood. Today she was different, she was cold and tense and she looked like a scared child, she looked vulnerable… and it was because of the ring. In that moment, Nicole could have sworn she could feel the ring actually burning and weighing down her pocket.

“Jeez Haught, becoming Sheriff has changed you.” Wynonna teased, but pushed forward nonetheless, passing Nicole and not bothering to look back to see if others were following. Nicole sighed as everyone walked past her, letting her shoulders slump until Waverly was in front of her. 

“Nicole?” Small hands reached up and lifted her chin and Nicole felt her breath catch momentarily in her throat. “Nothing is going to go wrong.” 

“You don’t know that.” Nicole said, her voice soft and wet as though holding back tears. 

Waverly smiled and let out a little giggle. “No, you’re right I don’t. I just thought it might help.” She brushed her thumb against Nicole’s cheek softly and watched the redhead’s lips twitch slightly. 

“You help.” Nicole replied leaning down to press their lips together. “You’re the only thing that helps Waves.” She admitted, pressing they foreheads together.

“COME ON SLOWPOKES! It’s raining dirt!” Wynonna hollered from a few metres away as two masks clattered against Nicole’s back. 

The familiarity of the interruption made them both smile and Nicole breathed almost silently, “nothing is going to go wrong,” more for her own reassurance than anything else.

They held hands as they trekked forwards to join the rest of the group where the stairs once were.

“Uh guys, where am I supposed to put the sword?” Waverly spun around, dirt preventing her and making it look as though she was almost in slow motion.

With an apologetic smile, Robin scratched his neck. “Yeah about that.” He tossed them all shovels. “We’re gonna have to dig.” 

“What? We should be able to see it.” Waverly squinted her eyes at him, still looking around for it.

Jeremy sucked in a deep breath and they all turned to him. “When the process of the garden was inverted, so was the path to it.” No one moved and he registered their confused expressions and sighed. “The stairs go down now.” He confirmed and they all widened, looking at the hidden ground. 

“So we’re gonna have to feel around and be careful not to fall.” Robin nodded and started shuffling, putting one foot out first to check for any dips in the ground. 

“Well so much for my 'end of the world part two' hair.” Wynonna grumbled, but picked up the shovel anyway and tried to push apart soil enough to see the dead ground beneath it. 

Everyone started shuffling around and shifting soil as quickly as they could, but it was becoming even harder as more and more was falling on them. 

Wynonna pushed up and pulled her mask away slightly. “Why aren’t you helping?! Grab a shovel and haul ass!” She yelled at Valdez who was leaning against a tree.

“Can’t!” The brunette called back and Wynonna rolled her eyes, snapping the mask back on and muttering to herself. 

“I’ll give you a fucking burden, _agent_.” She hissed as she kept moving soil.

Twenty minutes had passed, the area had been covered and there was still no sign of the stairs. Dirt scattered around them like confetti for a funeral and it was becoming increasingly harder to see and walk.

For Waverly and Jeremy, the dirt was up around their waist and just taking a few steps was like trying to wade through cement. Worse was that the dirt was scratchy and every part of their bodies were itchy and achy from the effort.

“We’re in the wrong area.” Nicole sighed, dropping her spade and wiping her forearm against her visor to clear the dirt which had built-up.

“How do we find it, the right area?” Robin stood up from where he had been digging with his hands and turned slowly to face them. 

“We don’t have time!” Wynonna yelled, frantically pushing at the soil with the shovel, but it was almost impossible to push it away with the speed it was falling. 

Abruptly, Waverly threw her shovel away and turned to Nicole who was standing a few metres behind her. “Nicole, give me the ring!”

“WHAT?!” Nicole called. “No, it’s way too soon! You’ve only got a few seconds between putting it on and closing the garden!” She shook her head, sending dust and dirt flying everywhere. 

“I have a plan!” Waverly called. “Just throw it! We don’t have time!”

“Waverly no!” Wynonna spun now to face them. “This is insane!” She started moving as quickly as possible through the dirt towards them. 

“Nicole! Give it to her!” Jeremy screamed. “NOW!” 

“Please Nicole! Trust me!” Waverly screamed, the dirt now just below her breasts. “Throw it!”

“Fine. _Fine_!” Nicole’s eyes widened beneath the mask when she realised how quickly Waverly was being covered by the dirt, at this rate she would be completely under within the next ten minutes she was so small. They didn’t have time for another plan and all she could hope was that Waverly’s plan wasn’t one of self sacrifice and was a legitimate plan.

“Haught NO!” Wynonna screamed, pouncing through the dirt as Nicole launched the ring towards Waverly.

Everything happened as though in slow motion and Waverly managed to bring her hand above the dirt to catch the ring. She took a deep breath and turned towards her sister. “Don’t let it take me.” She said softly, but Wynonna was close enough to have heard it.

“Waverly! No! Don’t please!” Wynonna pleaded, lunging out desperately.

“I love you!” The small girl called, looking first at Nicole, then her sister then her friends and slipping the ring onto her finger before anyone could stop her.

Nicole stood silently, unsure of what was about to happen and terrified of what the plan might be. Jeremy nodded to her reassuringly and Robin kept shovelling behind them all. 

At first a gentle whirring sound like a clock going or a cog grinding as something closes rang out around them. Everyone turned to see the soil sinking 20 metres behind them. It intensified to a screeching and instantly Wynonna and Waverly recognised the sound.

“IT WORKED!” Waverly exclaimed, turning back to face them.

“No!” Wynonna slumped forward, defeated as she realised the garden was opening again and it was all happening again. 

“What?!” Nicole yelled, lunging forwards towards Waverly. “What is that noise! What does that mean?! Wynonna!” She waded desperately towards Waverly who looked like she was almost floating backwards. “What is happening?!”

“The garden! It’s opening, it’s taking her back!” Jeremy yelled. “Get them!”

Before anyone could even ask what ’them’ was, huge green tentacle like strands burst up through the soil, sending them flying backwards from the force of the eruption of dirt.

“DON’T LET THEM TOUCH HER!” Wynonna was the first back up on her feet and running forward as quickly as possible, arms thrashing against the dirt falling in her face. To her right, Nicole pulled out her pistol and started shooting rapidly at the vine like tentacles and running forward between rounds. Jeremy and Robin began to thrash at the vines with their shovels and Wynonna pulled out the sword. The only one of them which was able to actually stop the growth was her, with the sword, everyone else simply delayed or slowed their movement. 

Waverly turned and started moving forwards towards the hole in the ground which the dirt was falling into, assuming it was the stairs. At this point, the dirt was so high she was almost swimming through it as she pushed on. Around her she was aware of the shouting, slashing and shooting, but she kept focused on dodging stray branches and trying not to fall whilst she powered towards the stairs. 

“WAVERLY!” Nicole called out behind her in warning as a vine smacked her side, sending her flailing to the left where another one quickly wound itself around her left arm. 

“No!” She thrashed and pulled against it, trying not to let anymore get ahold of her, but it was already cutting off her circulation. “WYNONNA!” Her cry cut through to her sister who had been attacking more of them nearby and the older girl lunged out cutting cleanly through the vine holding her sister. Quickly she ducked under another one and started running again, almost at the stairs now. Just as she reached the top of the stairs, one came from behind her, beneath the soil and wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms to her side as she started to kick and pull as much as possible. 

“WYNONNA!” She screamed again, but she was unaware that another voice had come just after her own.

“DOC?!” Wynonna started to spin around, looking for him. “DOC! Keep shouting! I can hear you!” She dropped the sword and started shovelling soil with her hands. 

Managing to turn her head, Waverly saw her sister panicked and frantic behind her and started to pull more, digging her feet into the soil to try and push against the vines. Her screaming didn’t seem to reach her sister though, who was focused and screaming just as much, looking for Doc. 

“WYNONNA!” Nicole shot a bullet in her direction to catch her attention, becoming desperate now she realised her bullets were doing nothing to the vines. “WYNONNA! WAVERLY!” Her bullet found a nearby tree and sent a sheet of dirt scattering around them and knocking Wynonna out of her daze momentarily.

“He’s here Haught! I can hear him! He’s here! Why can’t I find him!” She cried, her eyes scanning the dirt frantically.

“HE’S NOT! It’s a distraction!” Nicole pleaded, her eyes flicking between Wynonna and Waverly who was slowly being dragged into the dirt despite her kicking.

“No it’s him! It has to be him! This is the garden, he has to be here he-“

“WAVERLY!” Nicole started towards the dip in the soil, frantically pulling at the vines, trying to slow them down or pry them off her girlfriend. Finally her cry cut through to Wynonna who looked up from the soil to see her sister barely above the dirt anymore.

“Shit!” With a huge jump, she reached for the sword and cut her way through the remaining branches until she reached the couple and started trying to pull Waverly up. Behind them they could hear Jeremy and Robin slicing through stray branches with their shovels, but they were growing back quicker and quicker. 

“The sword Wynonna! Cut them off her! I can’t hold her up much longer!” Nicole said frantically, losing her grip and slipping deeper into the dirt. 

“I can’t! They’re too tight, I’ll cut her!” 

“Do it!” Waverly screamed, breathlessly. “Just cut them!” She strained her arms, trying to push her body towards her sister. 

“Haught!” Wynonna pleaded, looking for another option.

“We don’t have a choice, Wynonna, it’s taking her back there! Quick!” Nicole held onto Waverly with everything she had. They knew if there was more time the vines could be cut off gently, but right now she only had a few seconds to get them all off.

“Fuck, okay, okay, you’ve gotta stop fighting it babygirl. Stay as still as you can.” She pleaded and Waverly let her body go limp, wincing as the vines tightened further. She might not have been fighting, but the vines were still pulling and moving her and making it hard to cut them gently. Still, Wynonna got the ones off around her legs quickly and with relative ease, then her left arm was free with only a small cut. The one around her torso wasn’t as easy, it was thicker and tighter and Wynonna had to apply a lot more pressure, resulting in a deep cut to Waverly’s right upper arm. The intensity of the moment though almost blinded the small girl to any of the pain and as soon as the vine was off, she grabbed the sword from Wynonna and started running again, going down until the two girls couldn’t see her above the soil. 

“WAVERLY!” All four of them cried in unison as she disappeared and started scrambling around in the dirt looking for her. 

The ringing came to a sudden stop and Wynonna felt tears gushing from her eyes now. “No no no no! Not again, fuck we just got her back!” She scrambled around, sobbing out the words, entirely unaware that Nicole was doing the exact same thing behind her and Jeremy and Robin to her right were screaming and digging. 

They all fell to their knees from the abrupt lack of support when the dirt disappeared, as though it had just filtered through the ground and dripped into the centre of the earth. After a moment of stunned silence, Nicole looked up to see Waverly coughing and clutching her chest a few feet in front of her, tears rolling from her eyes. 

“Waves!” She pushed herself up and stumbled a few feet forward before dropping to her knees and pulling the small girl into her lap. “Waves you’re okay baby, oh god you’re okay, you’re here, I’ve got you.” 

After a few seconds of spluttering, Waverly caught her breath, but before she could reply to Nicole her eyes widened in panic. “Wait Nicole!” She yelled, scrambling backwards. “Look away!” Her voice was frantic, matching her facial expression as she desperately tried to move away from them all. 

“Wha-“ the redhead was cut off when suddenly two wings burst out from her girlfriend’s back. The air was silent enough that the gentle gasp that left Wynonna’s mouth could be heard from a mile away as they all sat in silence and took in the sight. Waverly was standing now, and the wings were double her height, flowing gently in the wind. A gentle glow seemed to surround them, but Nicole wasn’t sure if it was just because it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen so was imagining it. 

“We were right.” Jeremy breathed beside her, but Nicole didn’t even turn to look at him, her eyes were fixated on the vision in front of her.

“This is like cooler than that time you covered your entire body in glitter for that party.” Wynonna’s eyes widened in awe as she lay back on her elbows, staring at her baby sister.

Waverly stood silently, looking at the floor, wishing everyone would stop staring at her, until Nicole collected herself and pushed up to standing. 

Slowly the redhead walked towards Waverly, giving her the chance to back away if she needed. “Waves.” She breathed out, reaching out her hand for the small girl’s forearm before connecting their hands. “You have- you’ve got wings.” She stuttered with wide eyes.

“Yeah, I, uh the ring, it sort of activated them.” Waverly blushed and as she said it the wings disappeared as quickly as they had appeared. 

“Did you uh, did you know that would happen? When you made the plan?” Nicole asked softly.

“Not for sure, but I had an idea.” The brunette nodded. “I spoke to Jeremy about it this morning.” She admitted.

Wynonna had stood up and joined them at this point, resting her hand on Waverly’s shoulder and tilting her head to look into her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell us babygirl?” She ran a hand through Waverly’s dirt covered hair. 

“Because I wasn’t sure, and I was, uh embarrassed.” 

“Why Waves? They’re beautiful, and a part of you.” Nicole cooed, squeezing her hand. 

“Guys? We should go.” Robin came up beside them, cutting off any more chance for the rest of this conversation and gesturing to the left and they all spun and stilled when they saw what was going on. 

"Ho-ly garden of Hell." Wynonna breathed out, reaching for her sword which was no longer there.

"No way." Waverly sighed. "I killed you." 

"Nice to see you too Angel. Glad you've finally tapped into your full potential." 

"My- my what?"

"Bobo? How the..." Nicole trailed off beside her. 

"More importantly, what the hell else didn't we think about when we closed that garden." Jeremy muttered absently. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo like I said, the next chapter will be the final one - some things will be left kinda open ended (because it's as if this was S4), BUT I won't make anything a huge cliffhanger I promise - like the end of s3 was haha PROMISE.
> 
> ANYWAY the final part will be out a few days before s4! Can you believe it's only 8 days ahhh - FINALLY! 
> 
> As per usual, feel free to leave feedback - good or constructive below. Genuinely mean it btw when I say feel free to leave constructive feedback - tell me what parts u liked and didn't, because it will help for my future writing to know what I need to work on. It's not bad to be honest as long as you explain why haha :) 
> 
> Come and yell at me on social media @waverly_angel_earp (insta) or @charzpov (twitter) 
> 
> love ya x


	10. 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sad goodbye...  
> Wayhaught have a moment...  
> Everything is not as planned...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay psa. I'm gonna be honest - I really don't like this, especially not as the last chapter. Basically I wrote the first 3 chapters of this ages ago and really loved them so decided to turn it into a fic and had no idea where it would end up. SOOO yeah I hate everything after the third Chapter and like please read my other fics cos I promise they're better than this hahah
> 
> BUT HEY SEASON 4 STARTS TONIGHT! The panel yesterday got me SOOooOOOoo excited ahh :)

_One week later..._

They’d been here before. Hand in hand, boots crunching on the hardened ground, this time of dirt, previously of snow. Some would say a metaphor for the pure and the damaged, but something about loss purified the air this afternoon as the sun warmed their backs. It wasn’t a comforting warmth though, it was hot and suffocating and almost sickly in the current situation. 

Wynonna stood in the middle, Waverly to her left, then Nicole. To her right, stood Jeremy, then Robin. In her hand, an old bottle of whiskey, Crown Royal, 50 years old, the one they had been saving for the day they were finally able to bring Alice home. Even if she brought their daughter home now she wouldn’t drink it. The taste which would have once been sweet and warming, which she would have relished in, now would only taste bitter and sour and the warmth burning and painful. 

Waverly’s hand in her free hand squeezed slightly and she lifted her gaze from the bottle to the empty grave in front of her. In the middle lay an old, tattered jacket and a crisp black stetson atop it. The sisters should have been used to it now, empty graves holding just the memories of the people they loved, but no matter how many times it happened somehow each cut burned just as much, if not more.

Looking up slightly, Waverly took in her sister’s face, the tight line of her lips shaking slightly under the pressure of how firmly it was held shut. Her eyes sparkled with unspilled tears and her lids drooped slightly as if suggesting closing them would make it all go away. Knowing her sister was struggling, from the glazed eyes and shaky hands, Waverly made the first move. Gently, she squeezed Wynonna’s hand again, before stepping forward and dropping down onto one knee. She slipped her hand into her back pocket and pulled out two cards. Leaning down she placed the two kings to the right of his hat with a small, tear stained smile. “Cowboys.” She breathed out so only she could hear it. The same cards he’d given to her that night with the skull. It had taken her a while to understand the game, but he’d worked with her on the rare days off they had shared, teaching her the mechanics of poker and now she understood the meaning behind the cards. _Their_ cards. “I knew you were one of the good ones, even when you shot at my head.” She let out a little chuckle which was swallowed by a small sob. “I’m sorry Doc.” Her head dropped as she rested her hand on the hat before pushing up to standing and backing away. 

Once her hand was back in her sisters which was shaking somehow even more now, Jeremy nodded at her and stepped forward. Carefully he slipped the lab coat from his shoulders and leant down slightly to lay it atop the other things. “This one is a little big for me.” He wiped his eye gently, his other hand rubbing in a fist at his side. “Thanks for helping me grow a moustache.” He paused and swallowed, lowering his voice a little. “And for showing me what it means to be direct. I did it Doc. Thank you.” He nodded his head and stood up, backing up until his hand found Robin’s. After a gentle squeeze, his boyfriend stepped forward clutching tightly to a book.

Robin opened the book - which had been a gift - to a specific page, a small passage underlined, and placed it face down in the grave, the spine cracked and the pages frayed, the title _’The picture of Dorian Gray’_ discoloured from age. “I will _always_ talk about you.” He promised with a gentle, internal confidence as he nodded his head and stood up, muttering an afterthought slightly. “I just wish we had more time.” He swallowed thickly, his hand wrapped around Jeremy’s tightly as they all looked down at the uncovered grave.

Now Nicole stepped forward, her posture strong, but her face soft and throat bobbing with each heavy swallow. With a careful, delicate intimacy she unclipped the gun holster around her waist, a revolver on each hip, the thick leather belt far too heavy and inhibiting for her. “I promise to finish what you started.” She muttered, not standing, but placing her hand in an informal salute whilst on one knee. “Thank you, for giving us this chance.” Her entire body felt heavy with the weight of unforgiven arguments, unspoken apologies and a forgiveness which neither of them had the chance to give. All she could do now was make all of this worth it. All she could do was keep them all safe: Waverly, Wynonna… and Alice.

Back in line, they stood in silence for what felt like hours, all staring down at what would be considered an empty grave, but which was somehow full with love and memories.

After a while, Wynonna cleared her throat and took a slightly shaky step forwards, clearly trying to maintain composure. Without saying anything she pulled the cork out the top of the bottle and sank to both her knees. She took a sip, revelling in the pain it brought and poured a little onto the hat, watching silently as the liquid cascaded smoothly over the top and past the brim. A laugh almost escaped her at the irony, but it caught in her throat at the thought of his fingers tipping that brim and the smirk sparkling in his eyes as he spun on his heel and strolled out. “Your world up there better be filled with our mind blowing sex.” She let out a strangled laugh, as a couple of tears fell and she swallowed, coughing to clear her throat again and taking another sip. “I… I, uh, I’m going to get her back.” She promised, tucking the now half full bottle between his hat and his gun belt which Nicole had placed there. She took a minute, kneeling there and composing herself, swallowing her tears and ignoring the sickness growing in her stomach, before she finally found the strength to push herself back up to standing. 

Backing up, she almost fell over, but Waverly’s - surprisingly strong - arm found her back and held her upright, pulling her close and wrapping her hand around her waist. One more thing needed doing and Nicole had already offered to do it so no one else had to. She stepped forward and took a shovel, tipping dirt quickly but not aggressively into the grave. It only took a few minutes before it was entirely covered and they all stood there silently, tears staining each of their cheeks in disbelief and pure, unbridled loss.

“Thank you.” Wynonna breathed softly, without looking away from the now covered grave, when Nicole found her way back to Waverly’s side. Instead of replying, she just nodded softly, watching the older Earp desperately trying to keep it together. The redhead squeezed Waverly’s hand and nodded towards the homestead and the younger girl pulled on her sisters arm, leading the group towards their home where an unhealthy amount of sandwiches and booze was waiting for them. 

Walking away, Wynonna willed herself silently to let him go. If only it was that easy. This was a hard one. This one stung a little too much. All that kept her standing was her sister’s firm hand on her back and the hope that wherever he was, it was better than the pain he had when here. He had found a way out which didn’t involve hell and she tried to focus on that, to be happy for him and his peace and to find her own in that.

* * *

_The night the garden was closed..._

_Wynonna was first through the door of the homestead, Waverly quickly behind her, followed by Robin, then Jeremy and Nicole at the back, making sure no one had followed them. Once they were all inside, Nicole slammed the door and Waverly and Wynonna hastily slid a bookcase across it._

_“So Bobo’s back.” Wynonna said with wide eyes, chest heaving from all the running they’d been doing, back pressed hard against the bookcase._

_“I killed him Wynonna.” Waverly stepped in front of her, her brows raised and hands shaking slightly._

_“Yeah we all have Waves, the fucker just won’t stay dead.” The older girl pressed her hands into her temples and Jeremy cleared his throat behind them causing them to both turn in his direction._

_“Uh Waves, your shirt…” he trailed off, hoping he didn’t need to say more._

_Waverly’s face blushed and she suddenly felt the cold breeze on her exposed back. “Oh uh I’m gonna get changed.” She ran upstairs before anyone could stop her._

_When she was gone, Nicole turned to Wynonna with wide eyes and the brunette shrugged. “Did you know?” Nicole asked, referencing the wings and Wynonna shook her head fervently, pushing off the book case._

_“Hell no!” She replied. “I probably could have guessed though, I mean Charl- Julien he had them.”_

_Nicole nodded, looking out the window. “Right, yeah good point. We should uh, we shouldn’t make a big deal about them right?” She scratched her neck and Wynonna shook her head._

_“Yeah, I’ll try.” Her brows raised at the promise._

_“How is Bobo back?” Robin interrupted the moment, bringing them back to the reality that they were currently locked into the homestead unsure of what other demons had been released. Bobo could be the least of their worries._

_“What if it’s not to do with the garden at all?” Jeremy wondered aloud and they all squinted at him, turning slightly when they heard gentle footsteps padding down the stairs and Waverly completely covered up by one of Nicole’s shirts hanging mid thigh over her jeans._

_“Pretty weird coincidence if not.” She mumbled, instinctively finding herself drifting towards Nicole and wrapping her arm around her hip, pulling her close._

_“I guess it sort of is to do with the garden, but more specifically Bulshar. He set the curse on Wyatt Earp - as we all know - so what if the curse being undone didn’t kill the Revenants like we thought?”_

_Wynonna scowled at him. “I saw them disappear right in front of my stunning blue eyes.”_

_Rolling his own eyes, Jeremy considered the response for a second. “Uh well what if they like regenerated somewhere?”_

_Nicole shook her head. “There’s no way they can still be revenants. You’re not cursed anymore, so they can’t be either.”_

_Everyone stood in silent thought for a second before a voice from outside gave them their answer, a voice they all instantly recognised. “Maybe we’re not revenants.”_

_Rosita leaned with her back against the role of the porch outside, voice loud enough to carry through the closed window through which everyone could see her._

_Waverly’s eyes widened, two people in one day who she thought she’d killed, or at least done some serious injury to, had shown up._

_“Are you sure you didn’t put something in my coffee this morning Haught?” Wynonna raised a brow towards the redhead who didn’t even tear her gaze away from their new visitor to respond to the snarky comment._

_“You gonna let me in or are you all gonna stand there and act like you’ve seen a ghost?” Rosita lulled, stepping forward to lean on the frame._

_“Well have I?” Wynonna responded, eyes still wide._

_Rosita grinned, moving to the side. “Open the door and find out.” She replied and Wynonna rolled her eyes, reaching forward to grab the bookcase._

_“WAIT!” Nicole’s eyes were frantic. “What are you doing? Are you insane?”_

_“What? What is she going to do?” Wynonna rolled her eyes. “There’s five of us and one of her.”_

_Whilst she still looked hesitant, Nicole sighed and relented, stepping forward to help Wynonna shift the book-case. Once Rosita was inside the homestead, the air was more than a little tense and uncomfortable, Nicole stood protectively slightly in front of Waverly, Wynonna stood silently wishing she still had peacemaker and both Jeremy and Robin shifted a little in the awkward silence. Finally Rosita rolled her eyes and gave them their answer._

_“I’m not a ghost. I’m not a revenant either.” She muttered, gaze dropping to Wynonna’s belt and widening when she saw peacemaker wasn't there._

_“I told you never to come back here. You might not be a revenant, but I meant what I said.” Wynonna threatened, with no weapon to follow through with the task she was promising._

_“You’re going to need me now.” She flicked her eyes towards Robin, pointedly ignoring Waverly, neither of them sure how to approach the way their friendship had ended. “I’m glad you got out Waverly.” Her tone was a little sharp, but nonetheless Waverly could tell she meant it and she swallowed her mouth opened and shut quickly whilst she looked for what to say_

_“I- uh thank you, about before… I-“_

_“Doesn’t matter now, you were protecting your sister.” Rosita brushed her off, clearly a little embarrassed herself by the entire incident, but before Waverly could protest, Wynonna pushed in._

_“Why do we need you now?” Clearly, she was impatient, shifting on her feet, looking around the room, unable to stand still._

_Rosita sighed. “You took a huge risk opening the garden didn’t you know that?”_

_“Of course we did.” Nicole snapped. “We didn’t have a choice.”_

_“Maybe not.” Rosita shrugged. “But I’m here to help with the fallout.”_

_Jeremy squinted, obviously panicking a little bit. “Fallout?”_

_Before any of them could answer, Robin’s entire body went limp and he dropped to the ground. Nicole spun and quickly grabbed him before he could hit the ground hard._

_“What the hell Rosita?!” Waverly hissed, stepping forward towards her old friend._

_“Like I said, I can help, just trust me.” Her voice almost sounded pleading and Waverly relented a little._

_“Trust has to be earned, and right now you could win the award for the person I trust least in the world.” Wynonna growled, steeling up to Rosita._

_For a moment the two brunette’s stared into each others eyes with the passion of two worlds travelling silently throughout the room, before they were interrupted by a pleading redhead. “Wynonna we don’t have a choice, he’s out cold.” Nicole turned her head desperately, a limp Robin sprawled in her arms._

* * *

_Two days after Doc’s funeral..._

Nicole leant against the bathroom sink, breathing deeply and staring into the mirror. “Get it together Haught.” She muttered, then instantly smiled. That was the exact same thing she’d said to herself in the car before going into Shorty’s to meet Waverly for the first time. Now she was saying it again, moments before she was going to propose.

Slowly she pushed open the door and slipped back into the kitchen where all of their closest friends were.

“Uh Waves, can I borrow you for a second?” She scratched her neck, unable to remember the last time she felt this nervous. Every time she took Waverly on a date - which was rare given their hectic lives - she felt like a nervous teenager. With Waverly she always felt like she’d been given a gift and she would do whatever it took to be worthy of Waverly Earp.

“Sure!” The small girl chirped back, turning to Wynonna with a stern expression. “Don’t you dare let that burn!” She warned, looking to Jeremy and Robin too - imploring them to keep an eye on her. Robin had been fine since that night after the garden, but it didn’t stop everyone being a little on edge, worried about if he was going to pass out again and what was wrong with him. Rosita told them she couldn’t come up with a solution until he showed any signs of something being wrong, but the group were all worried that by the time that happened it would be too late.

With a flourish so delicate and graceful, Waverly tipped the onion she’d just finished chopping into the pot and skipped up to Nicole. She pushed up onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to the redhead’s cheek, already a lot more comfortable with being back. The action never failed to amaze Nicole and she felt her skin tingling with the brief touch, her cheek burning under Waverly’s kiss. The familiar scent of Waverly’s rose perfume stilled her heart a little and she tried to focus on the fact it was just Waverly, _her_ Waverly and she could do this.

Using all the confidence she could muster she took Waverly’s hand and led her into the next room where she had already lit candles and turned on the fairy lights. The old stereo crackled in the corner, Hozier playing on a loop because it was soft and gentle and Waverly loved him. Her heart was hammering against her chest so rapidly she almost didn’t even notice Waverly looking at her expectantly. 

“Can you turn that down a little please?” She asked, knowing this was her chance, this was the perfect moment. Waverly squinted at her a little confused, but turned anyway. Nicole only watched her for a split second, watching her delicate fingers slowly twisting the volume knob, before she fumbled in her back pocket and dropped to her knee. 

When Waverly turned and spotted Nicole, her eyes widened first in what almost looked like fear, but then softened into a sparkling excitement. Nicole could see her girlfriend wrestling with whether to trust the moment or not. Still, she was having a hard time dissociating the garden from the real world and then there had been the incident of the accidental proposal at their dinner before. She wanted her to know this was real, to trust her. 

Nicole gave a small smile and nodded and Waverly’s shoulders dropped slightly. 

Nicole cleared her throat.

This was it, she had to say something now. Waverly was waiting this time, waiting for her to say it. Her heart pounded with the weight of the moment, her hands slipped on Curtis’ re-shaped ring in her hand, her hairs stood on end as she opened her mouth.

“Waverly.” She cleared her throat again, trying to make her voice less shaky. “From the second I met you I knew I couldn’t live without you in my life. I couldn’t live without you bubbly giggling and rambling which make your eyes sparkle, or without the way you bounced around the office hiding your intelligence behind that nervous exterior. I couldn't live without the bright warm spark you lit in my chest that sometimes feels like it’s the only thing keeping me alive.” She paused and smiled a little, trying to compose herself when she could already see Waverly’s eyes sparkling. She had to get through this.

“I remember when I spent half my day driving around town looking for you. I remember you sitting in my car and asking if we could be friends. I remember being angry, but thinking it was okay, because I could do that, I could be friends as long as it meant I still got to see you everyday, I still got to talk to you and give you rides and make you laugh. Even then I knew I couldn’t live without you. The second I walked into that bar my life changed forever Waverly and not because of this job, or the curse, but because of you. I thought I knew you then, but there was so much more to know, you keep surprising me Waverly Earp and I want to have the opportunity to keep getting to know you for the rest of our lives, to figure out this insane, terrifying world together. Because you're everything to me Waverly; sure we have a lot left to figure out, but that doesn't even scare me anymore because the one thing I'm certain of is that I want to be with you, forever." Nicole finished, a couple of tears dropping and Waverly blinked, letting her own tears spill. 

There was what felt like the longest 5 seconds of silence in Nicole's entire life, before Waverly let out a shaky breath. "Nicole." 

Nicole swallowed hard, she hadn't even considered that Waverly might say no, but maybe after everything she'd changed her mind or seen something which made her doubt their love. Before her panic really settled in, she asked the question properly, hoping it would get the answer she wanted.

"Will you marry me Waverly Earp?" She bit her lip to stop the shaking, studying Waverly's face for any indication of her answer. Waverly's eyes sparkled and she started nodding frantically as Nicole felt her heart jump a little.

"Yes, god yes of course I will Nicole." She stepped forward and Nicole quickly stood up, throwing her arms around her and pulling her close into a hug, both of them shaking from crying and laughing at the same time.

With trembling hands, Nicole slid the ring on Waverly's slim finger and - unsurprisingly - it fit perfectly. 

"It's-"

"Curtis'" Waverly finished, instantly recognising it, as her eyes re-filled with tears. "How... how did you-"

"I called Gus." Nicole swallowed. "Uh a couple of weeks ago, and then I had it re-sized." She smiled and Waverly leant up to brush her loose hair away, wrapping her hand around the back of the redhead's neck. Nicole grinned and cupped Waverly's face, leaning down to kiss her passionately.

"Okay okay, save it for the wedding!" Wynonna hollered, rounding the corner, followed by the other two.

Nicole let out a breathy laugh against Waverly's lips, too extatic to even care about the interruption. Besides she'd deliberately told Wynonna to have this dinner party so they could all be there for it anyway.

Pulling out of Nicole’s arms, Waverly spun to face her sister who immediately enveloped her in a hug, whilst Jeremy and Robin did the same to Nicole. “Congrats babygirl.” She paused, before her brow furrowed a little. "Did Haught cry?” She teased, looking down at Waverly who’s own cheeks were still wet. The small girl didn’t answer her sister though, instead she shook her head smiling. 

“Did you know?” Waverly asked with her brows raised, looking back over her shoulder at Nicole smiling and chatting with their friends.

“I know everything Waves.” Wynonna winked, but then rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I did, Nicole gave me a very heartfelt speech.” She pressed her hand onto her heart theatrically. 

Waverly giggled softly. “I highly doubt that.” She felt strong hands press gently down on her shoulders and squeeze.

“I actually think I’m pretty good at heartfelt speeches?” She smiled, referencing her earlier, down on one knee speech.

Before Waverly could reply, Nicole let out a soft laugh. “But yeah, it wasn’t the most heartfelt thing.” She rolled her eyes at Wynonna, remembering the pain in her side from all the punches. 

Wynonna scowled and the moment passed, both of them silently agreeing they would keep that evening between themselves.

“Well!” Waverly swung her arms in a way which used to mean she was nervous, but now was a sign she was comfortable and excited. “I’m going to go and finish making dinner with my _fiancé_ \- who wants to help?” She winked and took Nicole’s hand who smiled and followed her into the kitchen.

“They’re going to be even more unbearable aren’t they?” Wynonna frowned at Jeremy and Robin who just shrugged and followed the couple into the kitchen, ignoring the older Earp’s obvious groan behind them.

An hour later they were all sat around the kitchen table in the homestead, eating tacos and toasting with their glasses full of alcohol. Waverly had spent half of the meal staring at her hand and smiling down at the ring. It’s not like she’d never seen it before, but it looked different on her hand. Somehow it seemed more dainty, more feminine and Nicole had definitely had it cleaned when getting it resized. 

Jeremy cleared his throat after a while. “I uh, don’t want to bring the mood down, but I found out something about the garden the other day.” Since the damage which the garden had been causing to his boyfriend, Jeremy had taken it upon himself to spend the past week finding out everything he possibly could about it.

“Nope the only garden we’re talking about is Haught’s newly engaged one.” She winked but Nicole scowled and punched her in the arm. “Fine.” Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Proceed.”

Without hesitation, Jeremy straightened up and cleared his throat. “So I think we closed the only route into the garden."

“Yeah, so?” Wynonna replied, shoving half a taco into her mouth.

“So the only place for people to go when they die is down.” The entire table’s eyes widened.

Nicole finally spoke up. “Down as in -“

“Yes.” Jeremy replied without hesitation.

“So let me clarify, we closed the garden, the revenants are back - as humans - Robin might be dying and we’re all going to hell. THIS is what we get for saving the world?!” Wynonna half yelled. 

Waverly swallowed and nodded. “Okay so we figure it out one by one. One thing at a time. Starting with Robin.”

Just as Jeremy was about to answer, the door swung open and Rosita bustled in. “Oh great, you’re all here. I just stopped by shorty’s and it’s all gone.”

Nicole squints. “What is?”

“The notes, the research. All of the files we had there, the samples. All of it, it’s gone.” The tone of the girl’s voice was way too relaxed for the magnitude of everything she was saying.

Beside them at the table, Robin slumped suddenly and Jeremy jumped up to catch him, eyes wide and frantic. 

“We need that! We’re running out of time, we can’t get it all again!” He called out and let Robin slip back into the chair safely and stepped to the side.

Wynonna stood up. “How did that happen?” She squared up to Rosita who shook her head.

“How the hell would I know, I only just found it!” She spat back. 

“Haught, you can trace it right? Fingerprints or DNA or sniffer dogs or something?!”

“Sniffer dogs?” Rosita raised a brow.

“I don’t know, just find it, we need that, it’s the only progress we’ve got.” Wynonna snapped, turning to Robin who was still unconscious.

“How long do we have?” Waverly asked, slightly panicked.

Jeremy looked at her with a seriousness in his eyes and pain laced through his brow. “Not long enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end  
> I'm sorry it was #underwhelming lol  
> but I think u can forgive me because the REAL season four starts tonight!
> 
> Sooo come yell at me on social media if u like or if u need someone to rant about how amazing s4 is lol my DMs are always open lol - @waverly_angel_eaarp (insta) or @charzpov (twitter) love ya x

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this is just setting the scene, the next couple will be far more eventful and plot driven I promise.
> 
> Updates every Friday, but I might post chapter 2 sooner because I already have it and this one is short. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave your comments and ideas and predictions below or dm my instagram @waverly_angel_earp or twitter @charzpov I'd love to hear your feedback. This will end up being less than 10 chapters probably, so relatively short. 
> 
> I promised in my last fic I'd leave a fic recommendation at the end of my own, so currently I'm reading: You're a runner (and I am my father's son) by harakiridaddy - it's about Nicole and Waverly growing up together and falling in love and Nicole is a western gardener lol I love it so much, definitely worth a read and I'm not even a fan of Highschool AU's haha.


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